Puella Magi Madoka Magica : Rebirth
by Saithe Vivana
Summary: After dethroning Madoka Kaname, the Goddess of Hope, Homura Akemi becomes the Demon, an embodiment of Love and Despair. However, in the new world that Homura had created, Madoka shows signs of remembering her godly purpose in life - that she was once part of something much bigger. Desperate to keep Madoka as she is, Homura devises a sinister plot.. The war is about to begin...
1. Chapter 1 : Peril

**Chapter 1 : Peril**

Mitsunari Saka was slouching in his seat, getting ready for another long, boring night. Yawning, he stretched and adjusted his police cap over his head, muttering darkly as he reached for his coffee cup.

"Why I ever became a police I'll never know..." he said to himself, glancing over at the sweeper whistling in a corner. "Even the cleaners seem to enjoy themselves more..."

He shifted his considerable bulk on the chair, trying to make himself feel more comfortable. It was then that his phone rang.

Mitsunari groaned, picking it up with an annoyed face. "Hello? Chief Mori? Yes, Saka here. Don't tell me someone's lost his cat, or is being threatened by some prank call, or is giving me -"

The harsh voice of Chief Mori, head police of Mitakihara City, drilled into Mitsunari's ears, cutting off his speech. "Enough nonsense, Saka! There's an emergency downtown near the old red flats. People living there are suddenly acting very strange, walking about like zombies and carrying fire torches, threatening to burn down the whole place, and themselves with it!"

Officer Mitsunari was dumbfounded. "What? You must be kidding me, Chief. They wouldn't do something like that..." His voice trailed off when he heard someone screaming in the background through the phone, followed by a loud crash and an unearthly wail.

Chief Mori's urgent tone came down the phone again, this time sounding panicked. "Get over here at once, Saka, and bring some weapons! Take Sanada and Otoki with you, it's an emergency! Hurry before - "

The line went dead, buzzing a monotone static. Mitsunari went silent with shock. Chief Mori would never break off his call unless something bad was happening. Hurriedly, he grabbed his coat, made sure his pistol was safely tucked in its holder and ran out of his office.

Seems like his job just got less boring.

The two officers, Rikyu Sanada and Nemu Otoki looked up from their files with bewildered faces as Mitsunari came crashing into their office. Rikyu stood up at once, demanding, "What in the world do you -"

Mitsunari interrupted him, tossing the both of them a pistol apiece. "Chief Mori's in big trouble, and if we don't go and assist him now, I doubt we'd have a chief tomorrow."

The officer's serious voice galvanised Rikyu and Nemu into action. They hastily clipped on a bulletproof vest, in which Mitsunari followed suit.

"What manner of emergency are we dealing with?" asked Nemu, buckling on a black helmet.

"Dunno, but it sounds serious," Mitsunari replied.

"There's no one else we can call?" enquired Rikyu.

"None that I can think of yet. Ready to go?"

The two officers nodded, and they rushed out to their car, jumping into it and starting the engine. The sirens wailed as they raced through the winding city roads in the dark of night, with Rikyu at the wheel. Their hearts thumped wildly, each secretly hoping that they would reach their chief in time.

Their dull night shift has turned into a potentially deadly situation.

Police Chief Hironaka Mori was up to his neck in a swarm of flies. Desperately, he tried swatting them away with his gun, but they kept coming back in endless numbers. Also, he noticed that these flies were not the ordinary house flies - they were huge and black, with razor blades for wings and a needle for a mouthpart. Their creepy compound eyes were gimlets of green and red, making them look ghastly. And worse of all, they were in 2-dimension scribbles, giving them a surreal feel, like a little child had drawn them carelessly.

The people of that neighbourhood were still acting strangely, and did not seem bothered by the flies at all. They merely brandished their torches, and the flies flew off with metallic screeches, annoyed. The chief knew then that his only hope now was to stick close to a person with a torch.

He sidled up to a middle-aged man with a blank look on his face. Chief Mori tried to communicate with him, but he merely stared right through him and said, "This world is not worth living in. We should all die together."

The veteran policeman was a hardened fellow, but now, he could barely contain his fear. The man was ashen-faced with bloodshot eyes, and a weird black mark popped and sparked at the base of his neck. Everyone crowded in around him, swatting at the flies aimlessly, walking towards the flats with torches blazing in their hands. They all had the black pattern on their necks.

"Burn down this useless place! We are all failures, only destined for death!" They chanted in unison.

Chief Mori found himself propelled along with the masses as they trudged towards the flats, the night air bristling with fiery torches and scribbled flies.

Mitsunari, Rikyu and Nemu reached the scene around ten minutes later, all due to Rikyu's superb driving skills. They stopped their car right in front of the flaming mob in an effort to stop the procession, but it did nothing to hinder their movement.

"Heck, look at the sheer numbers of these people! I didn't expect it to be so many," exclaimed Mitsunari, pulling out his gun. "Nemu, try calling for the Special Forces. Rikyu, stay in the car with Nemu while I hop out to look for the chief."

"Roger!" Both officers gave a swift salute to Mistsunari as he dashed out of the car and into the horde of bodies, his heart heavy with dread.

A weird feeling was beginning to take over Chief Mori. He was panting heavily, as if he had just run a ten mile marathon. His steps slowed down to match those around him, and very soon, he was moaning along with them, cursing all his years of life - wasted and gone, spent on doing something that did not benefit himself at all. Selfish thoughts swirled in his head as he crawled along with the herd, oblivious to the fact that a huge myriad of whirling patterns had formed above the gathering people like a dome of doom.

Mitsunari rushed into the mob, shoving the zombie-like people left and right in a bid to search for his chief. Finally, he saw Hironaka Mori ambling along with the crowd at the far left edge. Quickly, he bulldozed himself over to the chief and called out, grabbing his shoulder, swatting at the hideous, scribbly flies.

"Chief Mori, it's me, Mitsunari Saka! I've brought reinforcements, they're on th-" Mitsunari stopped short, gaping in horror at his chief's blank expression as a black, ominous mark sparked and popped at the base of his neck.

Chief Mori gave Mitsunari and eerie smile, saying, "Oh, Saka, it's you. You're just in time to join us on a wonderful journey to another place, where selfish dreams can come true."

Mitsunari shook his head in disbelief, ignoring the pushing bodies all around them. This was not the strong, reliable and selfless chief that he knew.

"Chief, what's gotten into you?" Yelled Mitsunari over the din, shaking Mori's shoulders hard. "We can't afford to waste time thinking useless thoughts, the people are gonna get themselves into big trouble if we don't act now!"

Officer Saka was beginning to panic, seeing as the sky was turning into a weird shade of muddy gray with splotches of green, red and blue. The flies were humming loudly, converging above their heads into a maelstrom of black and gray. A scary chuckle sounded from somewhere near the flats, like that of a little girl who just had her throat ripped open and was laughing, thinking about revenge on her murderer.

Chief Mori continued to stare vacantly at his officer, a dumb smile creeping over his thin lips.

"They're not worth saving. I'm not worth saving. Nothing is worth saving..." he rambled, oblivious to Mitsunari's shoutings.

"In fact, we should all just die."

Nemu tried calling the Special Forces for the eleventh time. Sighing exasperatedly, she hung up impatiently as the voice-mail lady's tinny voice said to her, "There is currently no service available, please leave a message after the beep."

"Well, what do we do now, Rikyu?" asked Nemu, running her fingers through her hair in vexation. "No one's answering the call. I doubt there's even a phone connection here."

She gave a scream as a big fat fly crashed against the windscreen of the car, cracking it. Rikyu pulled out his gun immediately, exclaiming, "What the hell was that?" The fly stared at them with compound eyes, its mandibles snapping at them voraciously.

More of the horrendous flies crashed into the glass, cracking it even more. Nemu took out her gun with trembling hands, crying out to Rikyu, "What should we do? They'll get into the car at this rate!"

Rikyu cursed, twisting the keys to start the engine, but was met with a lame hiss and puff from the car hood. "The monsters!" he yelled, smashing his fist onto the wheel. "They've eaten our engine!"

Nemu's eyes widened in horror. "Then... We're trapped... We're gonna die..."

Mitsunari tugged at his chief, urging him to get out of the blazing heat of the crowd, all the time keeping his eyes on the whirlwind of flies above. Feeling helpless, he glanced around at the dark multicoloured dome surrounding them, as if it were trapping them in its ghastly embrace of death.

"C'mon, chief! No use dying here, we've gotta help these people!" he cried, pulling at Mori's arm, although he knew it was probably too late to save the chief.

As he said that, the mass of flies doubled, merging into a huge black trash can with a spring on the bottom. The lid was pushed back forcefully, and a grotesque head popped out. Mitsunari recoiled at the sight of the creature.

The head belonged to a little girl, but looked like a mash between cat, insect and human. Its lips were sewn together carelessly, but it was wailing at the top of its voice, mouth open in a dirge of agony. It had three spindly arms which flailed around, smashing the flats into rubble and flattening some people with a sickening crunch. It seemed to be desperately swatting at the monstrous flies.

Just what is this thing? Thought Mitsunari to himself, transfixed to the spot in horrified awe. Everyone around him gave a wild cry and rushed at the building, which morphed into tall, twisted tree exuding grief and sorrow. They threw their torches at it, setting it ablaze at once. As the torch left their hands, the flies descended upon them in a flash, devouring them to the very bone.

Mitsunari was doing all he could to restrain his chief from doing the same. He wished Rikyu and Nemu would hurry up with the reinforcements, or they would certainly perish...

The flies had managed to shatter the hard glass of the windscreen. With an angry metallic buzz, they flew into the car, their razor wings shredding at the two police officers. Screaming and yelling, they escaped by jumping out of the car and running away blindly, blood streaming down open wounds.

But they soon regretted their choice.

Both officers barely had time to utter a last scream before a mass of flies dropped upon them like steel from the sky, tearing and eating away their flesh.

The trash-can creature grinned repulsively, laughing away madly as it swatted at everything and everyone. Its lips were stretched to the maximum, and the thread holding them together seemed fit to burst. The lid of the trash can snapped shut suddenly, slamming the creature in the head and making her screech non-stop inside the bin.

Immediately, Mitsunari's knees buckled at the harsh sound and he fell to the floor, incapacitated, with hands clamped over both his ears. Everyone around him also dropped, moaning and rolling on the floor.

After what seemed like an eternity of screaming, the creature managed to shift the lid off again and laughed uproariously, twig-like arms reaching out for the kneeling and prostate figures on the floor.

A good twenty people got snatched up by the scribbly fingers, but they didn't yell or kick. They simply hung limply, foolish smiles on their faces as the monster dumped them into the trash can - dumped them into her - never to be seen again.

The second arm of the creature extended slowly towards Mitsunari's group of people. Knowing that his fate was sealed - and that Nemu and Rikyu were also possibly dead already - nonetheless, he whipped out his gun and shot a few bullets at the monster. They merely bounced back harmlessly.

The long fingers were starting to curl around them, and Mitsunari could feel his body being crushed against the others. With tears in his eyes, he struggled to get his gun arm free, then promptly shot his Chief through the head. Mori died without a sound.

"Sorry, chief," said Mitsunari, a wan smile on his lips, "but it's better to die with a quick bullet than to find out what's inside that thing."

As he was lifted higher, he could see the wrecked police car, swarming with the huge flies.

Nemu and Rikyu were nowhere to be seen.

With trembling fingers, he put the gun to his head. "So much for complaining about a boring night," he muttered.

There was a gun shot, followed by a falling pistol with empty cartridges. A fly caught it in its jaws and swallowed it up, buzzing with contentment before the big hand of the creature slammed into it, exploding it in a colourful shower of scribbles.

The creature's torn lips parted in a rictus of a grin, feeling satisfied with its massacre.

It will look for more prey tomorrow.

 **Hi guys! This is my first ever fan-fic based on the anime Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Yeah, I know, the first chapter may not sound like it yet, but the characters will be appearing the next chapter. Btw, the creature is a witch, unless you haven't figured it out already ;) I'll be doing some random witch profiles and Puella Magi profiles too, if need be.**

 **And I hope the first chapter isn't too horrifically horrifying. XD**

 **~SaitheVivana**


	2. Chapter 2 : I'm Forgetting Something

**Chapter 2 : There's Something I Seem to be Forgetting**

" _We bring you shocking live news from the red flats downtown. A huge conflagration has blew up the entire flats, and no survivors were found."_

Madoka's innocent pink eyes widened in fright at the scene of chaos on the television screen. She hugged her knees around her, biting her lip in frustration. The reporter's deep voice continued with his narration, as a video of firemen trying to douse the flames were played.

" _Firemen have arrived at the scene and managed to put out the fire after a gruelling one-hour battle. Many charred bodies were uncovered from the rubble, but there were some bodies that were mysteriously unburnt but slashed open in many places. Two complete skeletons were also discovered near a blackened police car. They are believed to be Officers Rikyu Sanada and Nemu Otoki. Officer Saka, who was with the duo, has mysteriously disappeared, with no trace of him anywhere."_

This was followed by a blurry picture of numerous bodies lined up in a row, covered by a large white cloth. The hull of the police car was seen in the background. Madoka gave a shocked squeal, covering her eyes immediately. She couldn't stomach this info. It was too much for her.

And the worse part was that she couldn't do anything about it.

"Madoka!" yelled her mother, Junko, from downstairs. "You'd better turn off the TV now if you don't want to be late for school tomorrow. I'm certainly not waking you up myself!"

Madoka scrambled up hastily and turned off the television, cutting off the reporter's speech halfway. " _There has been a weird sighting of a huge shadow and lar-"_

"Yes, mom! I'm going to bed now!" she replied, shouting down the stairs. With a patter of small feet, she was in her room, surrounded by her stuffed toys. She decided to sleep with her big stuffed bunny tonight to calm her nerves.

Somehow, she felt that she knew what caused the tragedy. She just couldn't wrap her mind around it.

Homura watched the firemen extricating the bodies from the rubble with her impassive violet eyes, standing on a cliff overseeing the whole process. She twiddled with her soul gem on her left ear, watching the witch, Eliyah Sampah, bounce off into the horizon, cackling madly through sewn lips. Her flies flew after her in a cloud of scribbles, witch barrier receding after her.

Poor fools, she thought to herself. They can't understand what has hit them, and they never will. But that is just the way it is now.

The girl turned her back upon the ruins, flicking her long black hair. She ignored the witch. After all, it wasn't her duty to get rid of it. That job lay with the Puella Magi, the magical girls.

But...

A thin smile crept over her lips.

All the Puella Magi have forgotten who they truly were, and did not know about the existence of magic, wishes or witches. She had done this to them when remaking the world, executing her power as the new creator by erasing the minds of all the Puella Magi about their magical abilities and witch-fighting duties.

Let the world grow and be destroyed at its own pace. After all, it was wrong to interfere with the law of nature. And, so long as Madoka wasn't affected, she wouldn't really mind about what happened to the entire universe. No matter what, she will keep Madoka from harm.

If it means that she has to sacrifice herself to ensure that her friend never remembers her godly form, so be it.

She will readily give herself up for her.

"Now, class, I have a very important message for all of you. Make sure you pay attention. Should a plate be washed with water first or immediately soaped, what do you think, _Nakazawa-kun_?!"

Miss Saotome, the rather eccentric class teacher of the Year Two students of Mitakihara Middle School, whipped out her cane and pointed it at Nakazawa. The boy stood up warily and answered in a confused tone, "Err, you can wash it either way, can't you?"

The teacher smacked the cane into her palm, exclaiming loudly, " _Correct!_ It is wrong to judge a lady by _how she washes her plates_! Girls, please remember that it is wrong to date a man who complains about how his plates are washed, _have I got you all clear_?"

The class murmured a 'yes' as Nakazawa sat, his face a picture of bewilderment. Sayaka rolled her eyes at Madoka, who was sitting next to her, and said with a grin, "I guess that didn't work out for her as well. Poor Miss Saotome, that must have been the hundredth time she got dumped!"

The two girls giggled softly, glancing over at Kyoko who was snoring gently two seats behind. Nothing seemed to faze the red-haired girl - she could probably sleep through a thunderstorm.

"Ahem, with that said," piped up Miss Saotome, who looked reasonably more relaxed, now that her anger was vented, "We have new transfer students from Australia, and they're twins! Come on in, girls, don't be shy!"

There were excited whispers as, gesturing with her hand, Miss Saotome encouraged the twins to enter the classroom. They stepped in shyly, eyes darting around the classroom in nervousness.

They were quite tall for fifteen-year-olds, one with long midnight-black hair and the other with short, dark blue hair streaked with silver. Both had amber coloured eyes, tinged with a deep red, and they wore the school uniform with thigh-high black leggings. Each had a silver ring on their middle fingers. There was a crescent-shaped hair pin on the long-haired one, while the short haired one wore a star-shaped pin. Besides the difference in hair and choice of accessory, they looked completely similar.

The pair bowed awkwardly at the same time, then straightened as the teacher introduced them. "Class, this is Estella and Luna Queen." She pointed at the short-haired one, followed by the long-haired one. "They're from Lordanum City of Australia, and have moved here because of their parents' jobs. They have lived in Japan once when they were younger, so they know some Japanese, but don't hesitate to help them if they're stuck on certain things, like our culture and language."

The pair wrote their english and japanese names on the whiteboard, and everyone applauded lightly as they finished. Kyoko woke up from the noise and glanced up at the two girls for a few seconds, then plopped back down on the desk, uninterested. Trust everyone to make a big fuss of transfer students.

Sayaka, Madoka, Kyoko and Hitomi lounged about the rooftop of the building after school, discussing the day's events. It was certainly not what you would call a 'normal' day.

For one, the two Australian girls were total brainiacs, solving all the maths questions like a breeze and writing five-page-long essays about 'the importance of preserving our natural ecosystem'. Also, they seemed quiet and reserved, like their class monitor, Homura Akemi. Homura, on the other hand, seemed not to mind them at all, giving them occasional glances of disinterest. All the teachers took an immediate liking to the twins, and had 'abandoned' the rest of the class, much to Sayaka's annoyance.

"I don't see the big deal about them two," she sulked, leaning against the grail. "They're from Australia, so what? You don't have to treat them like they're some goddess or something."

Kyoko prodded her shoulder with a Pocky stick, remarking cheekily, "You're just jealous that they're smarter, prettier, taller, more active, more pleasant, more amazing, more stunning -"

"Shut up, Kyoko," Sayaka pushed Kyoko away, saying airily, "You're no better than me, so stop comparing ourselves to those two queens!"

Madoka and Hitomi laughed at their antics as they began to harass each other good-naturedly. Leaving them to their 'argument', Madoka turned to Hitomi, asking, "By the way, Hitomi, have you watched yesterday's news about the burning of the red flats?"

Hitomi nodded, replying, "Oh, yes. It was so tragic... They are even speculating that it was the work of a devil, because apparently, someone saw a large shadow near the flats right before it was burnt. Don't you think it's so scary that lately, there have been so many weird cases of mass deaths and suicides?" She started to count off her fingers. "First, it was the bomb at the factory, then a whole family committed suicide, followed by a mass gas poisoning in an office, and now this."

The pink-haired girl creased her brow in worry at her friend's reply. Something was still nagging at the back of her mind, that she somehow knew what was causing all these tragedies to occur.

As Madoka opened her mouth to reply, a soft voice cut in from behind. "You shouldn't worry too much about that, Madoka."

All four of them turned their heads towards the direction of the voice, and saw Homura standing at the entrance. She walked towards them nonchalantly, tossing her hair behind her.

"Hitomi, it's not nice to spread rumours about demons and devils," said Homura, staring pointedly at the green-haired girl. Hitomi wilted under the glare, apologizing under her breath.

"As for you, Madoka, don't go about wondering and thinking that you can do something to save those people, because you can't," she said icily, her violet eyes now focusing on a cringing Madoka. "Just stay as you are, and never change... not even to save the world."

The four girls looked at Homura in confusion. Her words were not making any sense to them. With a last, hard stare at Madoka, Homura turned on her heels and stalked away, her violet earring glinting in the sunlight.

Sayaka's fists balled up angrily. "Who does she think she is, going around lecturing people and telling them off? I've got enough of these quiet, freaky people to deal with, and she decides to make it worse by waltzing in with a creepy comment."

Kyoko merely cast a long stare at the receding figure, saying, "I'll never fully understand that girl."

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it," remarked Hitomi with a sad smile, taking her satchel from the seat. "I'll be going now for my classical Japanese dance lesson. See you guys tomorrow!"

The three waved her goodbye as she vanished below the stairs. Sayaka turned to Kyoko and Madoka and said, "So, wanna drop by Mami's class before we go back home?"

"Heck yeah, sure!" agreed Kyoko with much enthusiasm. "She might have some cake with her, if we're lucky."

"You glutton! All you ever think about is food!" Sayaka pinched Kyoko's belly, which made the red-haired girl squirm and laugh. The both of them raced down the stairs, yelling at the top of their voices.

"Last one there's a rotten cherry!"

"First one there's a smelly frog!"

Madoka shook her head, smiling to herself at Sayaka and Kyoko's childish romp. Slowly, she shouldered her bag and stared out into the horizon over the many high-rise buildings, absorbed in her own, deep thoughts.

She still had that persistent feeling that she was once part of something bigger.

Something very much bigger.

 **Just for info, this new world that Homura created has both wraiths and witches. The reason as to why witches are still here even though Madoka has erased them will be revealed later ;)**

 **~SaitheVivana**


	3. Chapter 3 : Unexpected Encounters

**Chapter 3 : Unexpected Encounters**

Kyoko and Sayaka rounded a bend at full speed, with Sayaka in the lead. She took a quick look behind and made a comical face at Kyoko, shouting, "Hah! Look who's gonna be the rotten cherry and the smelly frog?"

"Shut up, you musical freak!" retorted Kyoko in a sarcastic manner, panting. "Bet I could win if I weren't so hungry!"

Lost in the temporary euphoria, Sayaka did not realise that the Australian twins were just in front of her. Unable to stop her momentum, she crashed into them, yelling in surprise. All three fell down and it was a mess of hair, arms and legs, made worse when Kyoko tripped over them.

"Whooaahh!" she yelped, tumbling on top of them and accidentally hitting Sayaka in the face.

Just at that moment, Madoka came scurrying down, her pink eyes flashing concern. "Are you four alright?"

The twins hastily stood up, flattening their messed up hair. They gave Madoka an apologetic look, then rushed off along the corridor without a second backwards glance. Madoka looked puzzled for a moment, then reached out a hand to help Sayaka and Kyoko up.

"What's up with the two queens? Can't they even say a simple 'sorry'?" growled Sayaka, rubbing her face where Kyoko had hit her.

"Well," pointed out Madoka with a hint of a smile, "it was really your fault in the first place for running around in the school corridors. Give them a chance, they just came here today, after all."

"Oh, well. I guess you're right," Sayaka sighed, "Even you were once a transfer student, Madoka, and that was six months ago."

Kyoko gave Sayaka a small punch. "Aww, cut the chat and let's get moving. That cake's not gonna wait for no one!"

Laughing, the trio headed for Mami's class, joking about transfer students and smelly frogs.

Mami was busy finishing her homework. She didn't want to leave the work for tonight, because she was looking forward to a cook-and-taste session with Nagisa Momoe, a sweet twelve-year-old orphaned girl whom she had taken in six months ago.

She didn't know much about Nagisa then, only that her mother had died from cancer and that she had no father. She found her wandering the streets alone, scared and hungry, so, being the kind-hearted person that she was, Mami took her back home. Soon, they formed a fast friendship, made stronger by the fact that they both understood the anguish of losing one's parents.

Mami was so absorbed in her work that she didn't notice Sayaka and Kyoko creeping up on her from behind. Madoka simply stood at a corner and observed what happened next, stiffling a giggle.

With a wild screech, the two threw themselves upon Mami, who gave a surprised squeal.

"Hahaaaarrr!"

"Yaaaaaahh!"

"Omigosh, what's happening?! Aaaaahhh!"

"Hahahahaha! Gotcha, Mami-san, now hand over the cake if you wanna live!" shouted Kyoko down Mami's ear.

Sayaka grabbed at Mami's arms while Kyoko proceeded to tickle her mercilessly.

"Whoohahahahah! Oh, stop tickling me, whahahaha! Okay, okay, I'll give you guys some cake - ahahaha! - just stop tickling meeeee heeeheeeheee!" laughed Mami uncontrollably, trying unsuccessfully to squirm away from her tormentors.

The two girls released their deadly grip from their blonde haired senior, leaning against her table like nothing ever happened.

Wiping away tears of mirth, Mami tutted as she reached down into her bag and produced a small box of cake. She placed it on her table, opening the lid, and the sweet smell of vanilla and strawberry wafted through the air.

Kyoko's eyes lit up at once. "Wow, that looks great, Mami! When did you bake it?"

"I made it yesterday night with Momoe-san, though at first, she insisted that we bake cheese cake instead," said Mami, extending three forks to Kyoko, Sayaka and Madoka, who had walked over now that the prank was done. "I hope you'll like it. We took a long time trying to figure out the right recipe!"

The three juniors dug in, relishing each bite with much exaggerated splendor.

"Mmmhpf! You're the best cook in the whole universe, Mami-san!" praised Sayaka in between mouthfuls.

Madoka nodded happily, taking another bite before saying, "I can never bake as good as you, Mami-san. Ooh, maybe we should all have a baking class together one day!"

Kyoko just gave a contented grunt, too busy inhaling the cake to give a comment.

Mami chuckled, blushing slightly. "Thanks. Oh, by the way, are you guys free tonight? Momoe-san and I are having a cook-and-taste session, and it would be great if everyone can attend."

At the sound of more food, Kyoko hastily swallowed her mouthful of vanilla cake and slammed her fork on the tabletop, making everyone jump. "Are we free? Of course we are! No one's ever too busy for food, ain't that right, Sayaka?"

Sayaka threw her hands upwards in mock despair. "You great foodbag! One day, you're gonna get so fat, you'd sink into the ground."

Immediately, Kyoko pounced on Sayaka and launched into a tirade of sarcastic comments.

"Oh ho, foodbag, is it? You're nothing more than a pompous windbag, then!"

"More like I'm the sensible lady who doesn't go around stuffing her face with cream every second of the day!"

Madoka groaned as Mami tried to prise the two girls apart without much success. "There they go again..."

Kirika Kure walked down the corridor, passing Mami's class and overhearing the merry conversation. She heaved an inwards sigh, wondering why she wasn't as popular as Mami.

No one seemed to want to speak with her, let alone make friends with her. Maybe she was just a born outcast, doomed to live the rest of her life alone. She shuffled past the class gloomily, fiddling with a stuffed toy that she hung on her hip.

She wanted to make friends, but was scared to commit herself to someone. She had learnt a lesson the hard way to not trust someone wholeheartedly - through betrayal by a once-best-friend, Erika.

At least there was one person that actually cared about her. She felt better instantly at the thought of meeting up with her beloved Oriko tonight.

Only Oriko would understand her feelings.

Hefting her bag on her shoulder, she walked with a spring in her step, whistling with fake merriment to mask her oppressive loneliness.

Estella Queen looked behind her, heart beating fast from the run after bumping into Kyoko and Sayaka. Her twin, Luna, glanced at her, saying, "Whew, I'm so glad they didn't come after us, Stella. I'm actually quite scared of Sakura-san and her fangs." She paused for 'dramatic' effect, then added in an undertone, "Do you think she's a vampire?"

"What? Nah, don't spew nonsense like that, Luna," chided Estella, flapping at herself with a hand. "Besides, vampires don't exist."

Luna bit her lower lip, worried. "I hope we haven't angered them or anything. I'd hate to make enemies out of them, and they seemed quite friendly, especially that pink-haired one."

She was about to say more when Estella silenced her with a finger. "Hush, someone's coming here, and she's whistling loudly."

The twins smoothed down their uniforms and made to hurry off, but the person was already in front of them. She was of normal height, with dark brown hair and striking gold eyes. Her uniform was vastly altered. Instead of leggings, she wore knee-high boots with belts on them. A piece of checkered cloth hung on her left hip, along with a voodoo-like doll, and she wore a tie with two button badges on it. Flashing a reckless grin at them, she exposed two sharp fangs. Luna involuntarily recoiled, with thoughts of vampires floating around in her head.

"Hey," she said casually, raising a hand in greeting. "New here?"

The twins nodded dumbly, awed at this cool senior girl. Estella spoke first, introducing themselves hesitantly in her awkward Japanese accent. "Good afternoon, senpai. I'm Estella Queen, and this is my twin, Luna. We're from Lordanum City in Australia and have just moved here a week ago."

Kirika nodded, feeling secretly happy that two juniors had taken notice of her. "Well, enjoy yourselves here at Mitakihara. And, drop the formalities. My name's Kirika Kure, but you can call me Kirika." She gave them a roguish wink before continuing her walk down the corridor, whistling loudly.

Luna stared after her, blinking. "She's one cool girl, even though she's got fangs and dresses like a ruffian. What do you think, Stella?"

Her twin gave a shrug, saying, "Well, at least she's nice, though she looks like some punk on the outside. But, seeing as she was the first person to not comment on our weird Japanese accent..."

They looked at each other and smiled. Maybe things will turn out for the better eventually. And who knows, Kirika Kure might make a good friend and senior.

The sun was beginning to set, casting its last golden rays across the city skyscrapers and tingeing the fluffy clouds a vivid orange-red. After picking up Nagisa Momoe and Yuma Chitose, who was under Kyoko's care, from Mitakihara Elementary School, the six of them headed for Mami's apartment, chatting excitedly.

"Kyoko, Yuma has missed you dearly! What are we eating for dinner?" enquired the little green-haired girl, tugging at Kyoko's skirt.

Kyoko gave her a distracted answer, still thinking of cakes and dessert. "Huh, what? Oh, we're having apples and Pocky sticks."

Yuma's blue eyes widened. "Whaaat? But Kyoko, they're not filling at all!"

Sayaka, Madoka, Mami and Nagisa laughed, with Sayaka commenting drolly on Kyoko's bad habit of fantasizing about food. "Huh, you two are so alike. Is food all you guys ever talk about?"

The merry banter went to and fro, occasionally interspersed with witty and sarcastic remarks from Sayaka and Kyoko, which set everyone guffawing.

Eventually, they reached Mami's apartment. She invited them in with a flourish, turning on the lights and gesturing for them to sit around her triangular table. As usual, her apartment was in tip-top condition, with everything arranged neatly and tidily.

"Compared to Mami's place, mine looks like some run-down shed," muttered Kyoko, who received a playful bump from Sayaka.

"Make yourselves at home. Momoe-san and I will be presenting you with our dishes soon!" said Mami with a cheerful clap, clearly enjoying herself. "Come on, Momoe-san, time to get cooking!"

"I'll make a cheesy spaghetti carbonara, followed by chocolate cheese cake!" Nagisa said, tying an apron around her small waist and running into the kitchen after Mami.

Madoka's tummy rumbled as she listened to Mami and Nagisa exchanging recipes and ingredients in the kitchen. Whatever they were cooking up, it sounded and smelled fantastic.

Oriko was busy pruning her late father's roses in the garden. Though she wasn't a fan of roses, she still kept them in good shape. It was a shame to let the beautiful flowers die. Closing her eyes, she inhaled the cool evening air, letting the sun's dying light envelop her in its last remaining warmth.

She was about to carefully snip off a branch when Kirika barged into the garden, hollering her name.

"Oriiikoooo! I'm here, let's go for dinner now! Quick, I'm hungry!"

Oriko took off her gloves and put them onto a table nearby with her pruning scissors, frowning as she told Kirika to keep her voice down. However, that did not seem to dampen the gold-eyed girl's spirit.

Plopping onto a garden chair, she enthusiastically told Oriko about the two Australian transfer students that she bumped into earlier that day.

"They actually greeted me and spoke to me like I was some respectful senior," she grinned. "And then I left them and they were like, 'Wow, this girl is cool!' Heeheehee!"

Oriko re-tied her ash-blonde hair into a long ponytail, saying in an amused tone, "They wouldn't have said that if they really knew you were like this."

"Aww...don't say that, Oriko,"sulked Kirika, drawing her legs up on the chair. "I might be able to make friends out of them, since we're all in the same boat of misunderstanding."

Oriko's stern blue eyes softened, feeling sad for her friend. Kirika had never been able to make friends easily ever since she was betrayed by Erika, and she could see that the brown-haired girl was trying her best to look nonchalant about it.

Taking Kirika's hand, she pulled her up and said with a smile, "Come on, then. What do you want for dinner tonight? It's on me."

Kirika's golden eyes shone happily. "Anything that Oriko wants, I'd want too!"

Homura stood alone in the dimly lit street overlooking Mami's apartment, contemplating about the recent events that had involved both witches and wraiths. Madoka was already showing signs of remembering her godly form, and Homura did not want that to happen at all. She had created this world specifically to ensure that Madoka remains a human forever, and lives a normal human life without having to shoulder the grief of all the Puella Magi.

If she can't keep Madoka from reverting to the Goddess of Hope, then all her sufferings and sorrow; all the cold decisions she had to make to save Madoka; her own willingness to turn into a demon... They would all be wasted.

Homura was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she didn't notice the large multicoloured barrier that was descending over the apartment like a bird of ill omen.

When she did look up, she gave a gasp of horror.

Eliyah Sampah's ugly head poked out between the lids, hissing like a cat as she perched on the roof with her large spring. Her scribbly fly minions, Olyams, flew around the apartment, blocking out all the lights like a plague and shredding the concrete and bricks like paper with their razor blade wings.

The repulsive witch gave an unearthly cackle through her bloody, sewn lips, then sent her three arms flailing towards Homura, hollow eyes alight with the madness of battle.

 **Yes! I'm finally done with this chapter :D A big thanks to those who are reading my story XD love you guys!**

 **~SaitheVivana**


	4. Witch Profile : Eliyah Sampah

**Witch Profile : Eliyah Sampah**

Runes : **ELIYAH SAMPAH**

Type : Trash witch

Nature : Abandonment and uselessness

The witch of uselessness and loneliness. Her lips are sewn with thread made from the sinews of dead cows, made to prevent her from crying and throwing tantrums. She is stuck inside a trash can and cannot get out, no matter how much she tries, and flies constantly buzz around her, annoying her to no end. A huge spring at the bottom of the trash can allows her to move about by bouncing, leaving maggots in her wake.

She hopes that one day, she will be able to rid herself of the trash can, which is always there to remind her that she is useless, just like garbage. And when she's out, she will wreak havoc upon the flies and all those puny human beings who had abandoned her when she needed them most.

 **Minions** :  
 **Olyam** \- Large flies with razor wings, who exist solely to annoy the witch.

 **Serla -** Three long spindly arms that grab and swat at the flies, keeping them away from the witch.

 **Tirry -** Maggots left behind by the witch. They stay where they are and wail loudly like sirens, before dissolving into a puddle of mush.


	5. Chapter 4 : Ambush

**Chapter 4 : Ambush**

Madoka, Sayaka, Kyoko and Yuma leaned back on Mami's sofa, smiling contentedly after the scrumptious meal.

"You should cook more, Mami, I can live on your food for the rest of my life!" said Kyoko, burping shamelessly.

Sayaka and Madoka agreed in unison. "Yes, Mami-san, not only are you good at baking, you're also great at cooking!"

Mami giggled, answering modestly, "Oh, it was nothing, really. Just throw in the ingredients and make sure you follow the cook book, that's all."

"Easy for you to say..." mumbled Kyoko, "I can't even fry an egg to save my life."

"Hey, what about me? How was my carbonara spaghetti and chocolate cheesecake?" demanded Nagisa, waving her short arms in the air for attention.

The group laughed as Yuma replied, "Yuma didn't forget you, Nagisa! I love the cheesecake, but can you put Pocky sticks into it next time?"

Kyoko flicked Yuma's hair affectionately. "Huh, looks like we've got ourselves a new Pocky fan."

They were so absorbed in their conversation that they did not notice the darkness that began to envelop the windows of the apartment.

 _Craaack!_

Mami immediately whipped her head around to the sound of glass being fractured. Her jaw dropped in shock as she saw a hundred abominable flies, each the size of a car wheel pressing hard against her window. They buzzed ominously, filling the apartment room with a jarring metallic screech as their razor wings chipped away at the glass.

Yuma and Nagisa screamed, latching themselves onto the older girls.

"Waaaah! What are they, Kyoko, Sayaka?"

"Mami, they're scary!"

The senior girl took charge at once, albeit in a very shaky manner. Grabbing Nagisa's hand, she yelled over the din, "Everyone, out through the door at once! The glass won't hold for long!" The girls scrambled up at once, sprinting for the door in fright.

The intensity of the buzzing increased to a painful level as Madoka tripped over a rug, falling onto the floor and curling up into a ball. Far away, she could hear Sayaka's anxious shouts for her to get up and run, but no matter how much she tried, the noise was too much for her to handle.

Through half-closed eyes, she saw the black flies and their multicoloured compound orbs as they gave a final screech, shattering the glass and swooping into the room, their sharp fangs clacking together in anticipation of their next meal.

Without knowing why, Madoka called out in a broken, panicked cry, "Homura-chan! Where are you?!"

Eliyah's three long arms, Serla, reached out with lightning speed, meaning to grab Homura and crush her. Acting quickly, the long haired girl dodged to one side and rolled up to a kneeling position, feeling the scrape of Serla's gnarly fingers on her back.

Shuddering slightly from the ambush, Homura forced herself to calm down and compose herself, but before she could even stand up, Serla lunged again. The three hands came from the left, right and center, leaving no space of escape for Homura. She screamed in agony as the fingers wrapped around her cruelly, squeezing her tight and forcing the air out of her lungs.

Blinking through involuntary tears, Homura struggled to get herself out of the witch's iron grip, crying out every few seconds when Serla's thorn-like fingers stabbed into her flesh. Gasping for air, she bit into the witch's finger and was rewarded with a shriek. The finger released it hold on her temporarily, but it was enough to allow her to free one arm. Hastily, she whipped off her violet earring and summoned her Dark Orb, an evolved version of a Soul Gem. It floated over her palm like a huge, Queen chess piece, enveloping her in a purple light.

Eliyah immediately gave a guttural scream, making Serla drop Homura like as if she was burned by the light. The three arms recoiled into the trash can, rattling it noisily as Eliyah glared at the falling girl with her creepy, hollow eyes. Her sewn lips parted as far apart as they could, and she spewed maggots and flies at Homura like a jet of high-pressure water.

Grasping her Dark Orb tightly, she flinched as screaming maggots hit her across the face, each wailing sorrowfully like a broken-down ambulance that had lost its way to the hospital. A fly cut her a across an arm with its bladed wing, tittering crazily. Frantically, Homura tried to slow down her plunge, concentrating on her Dark Orb and willing herself to transform.

She was finally rewarded. Homura's painful wince turned into that of a malicious grin as she stopped her fall, levitating in mid-air with a forbidding purple pulse around her. Large black and white wings, akin to that of a raven, sprouted from her back in a burst of feathers; her normal clothes dissolved with a shimmer, garbing her in a new long black dress, black arm-length gloves and black leggings.

Tossing her hair, she flapped her awesome wings once, propelling herself upwards to face the witch. All around her, the flies hummed and buzzed like outlandish lawn mowers, seeking a way into the apartment to get at the people inside. Already, Homura could hear the frenzied cries of the inhabitants, who thought they were facing a sudden onslaught of strong, howling winds.

"Hurry, get to the Safety Point! It's a full blown gale out there!"

"Oh, dear, this wind is very strong. It'll tear down the whole building!"

"Everyone, out through the door at once! The glass won't hold for long!"

Homura's stomach gave a flip when she heard the voice. It was Mami's! However, she couldn't go to their rescue because Serla had re-emerged, blocking her view of Mami's apartment.

Eliyah was prancing about on the roof with her single spring, grinning madly and screaming insults at Homura and everyone else in the building in a twisted, grotesque voice that only Homura could understand.

"Die! Die! Useless people abandoned me! I kill all! Yahahaaaahahhaaa!"

The demonic girl looked on at Eliyah's rampage placidly, wearing a poker face, although inside her, worry was building up like a piece of dense metal. Maggots landed everywhere, flung from inside the trash can, and started to wail grossly on the rooftop. A new cloud of flies emerged from the trash can, adding their weight upon the heavy-pressed apartment walls. Smirking evilly, Homura called out a challenge to the witch in a bid to distract her, spreading her arms apart.

"Eliyah Sampah, witch of uselessness!" she said, her voice magically amplifying into a blend of tones. "Make another move and you'll never live to see daylight again, for I am the Demon Creator, and I can banish you as easily as I can step on ants!"

The trash witch sneered at the hovering black figure. " _The mistress of grief, the bringer of sorrow. The abandoned one's wish, is the urge to kill!_ " she warbled, lips stretched and fit to tear. " _I know you, Creator. You abandoned me, made me useless! You will die today like a mangy dog! Yahahahahahhahaaharr!"_

Serla swiped out at the Demon with blinding swiftness, barely nicking her left thigh. Homura dismissed the pain, flying hard and fast towards Mami's apartment window, an ebony bow and glowing purple arrow materializing in her hands. Serla flailed around her, forcing Homura to use all her diving and swerving skills to avoid being hit.

 _Craaaack_!

The flies were pushing with all their might against the glass as web-like fissures began to form over it. A small scream came from within, filled with horror. With a last-ditch effort, the flies broke through, shattering the glass window into a million pieces of glittering shards.

"Homura-chan! Where are you?!" A pitiful, broken cry met Homura's ears, and immediately, anger filled her whole body. Roaring like a wild animal, Homura forced her large wings to flap faster, shooting towards the room and batting aside the flies and maggots with her bow.

Eliyah noticed what Homura was up to, and pranced down upon her, showering her with more screaming maggots. Annoyed, Homura merely swatted away the offending creatures, buffeting them into bits with her sharp-edged feathers.

"Wait for me, Madoka!" Homura called out in anguish, shooting at Serla's hand with a purple arrow. "I'm here...I'm coming...!"

Mami shoved the door to the apartment room hard on its hinges, closing and locking it without realizing that Madoka was still inside. With a savage cry, Sayaka pushed Mami aside, grabbing her keys and yelling while fumbling with the lock, "Madoka's still inside! You can't just let her die, Mami-san!"

All the colour drained from Mami's face at the realization of what she had done, with Kyoko gasping audibly.

"I-I didn't realise t-that Kaname-san was-" stuttered Mami, unable to finish her sentence.

Before any of them could react further, a stampede of people came hurtling towards them, screaming for all their worth.

"Run! Quick, the stairs is that way! Save yourselves before this gale topples the building!" urged a middle-aged man as he shoved the girls towards the escape hatch.

The keys dropped from Sayaka trembling fingers and was lost in the multitude of scurrying feet. "Nooooo! Madoka's still in there!" She yelled hoarsely as she and the girls were swept along with the hysterical crowd.

"Madoka! Madoka!"

Homura crashed into the apartment in a whirlwind of feathers and maggots. Fitting three arrows to her bowstring, she let them soar, burying themselves into the heads of the trio of scribbly flies that were surrounding Madoka. They immediately exploded into a shower of colourful sparks.

Madoka's tear-stained face looked up with surprise at the person standing before her. "Homura...chan?"

The Demon ran over to her, slinging her bow over one shoulder and helping Madoka up gently, supporting her with strong arms. Her steely violet eyes glared at the horde of buzzing flies as she said to them, "Stay away from Madoka, or else..."

The flies seemed to understand the message. They hovered hesitantly in the air, afraid to rush the scary black girl. Homura slowly backed towards the door, holding Madoka close to her as her hand closed over the knob, twisting it.

It was locked.

"Homura-chan..." said Madoka, quivering at the sight of the black cloud of insects. "What are these creatures?"

Homura gave Madoka a sideways glance, raising an eyebrow. She had not expected Madoka to still be able to see witches and their minions. She took her bow in her hands, readying a single shaft as she asked Madoka calmly, "Tell me, what do you see? Of me, and of the things at the window?

The pink-haired girl shuffled uncomfortably, replying, "I see black flies with red-green eyes and blade-like wings. And outside, there's a big trash can with three arms and a head in it." She paused for a while, casting an uncertain glance at Homura. "And I see you dressed in black with large black-and-white wings... What happened to you, Homura-chan?"

The flies were beginning to regain their courage. They closed in on the two friends, mandibles clicking together menacingly. Outside, Eliyah was screaming, calling for Homura to come out. The black-haired girl placed Madoka behind her, saying, "So you can still see them, and you see me as the Demon that I am... What happened to me is of no concern to you. Now, stay back as I deal with this witch!"

Homura leapt forward, her wings extending behind her as her eyes glowed an eerie purple. She gave a wicked smile, drawing the bowstring taut as a single glowing shaft materialized on it. In a single fluid motion, she let it loose, and the shaft whizzed towards the mob of flies, exploding mid-air into a volley of a hundred arrows, raining death and disaster upon them.

Madoka squealed in fright as the flies burst apart, cringing at Homura's amazing power which had wiped out all the minions in a single shot.

"Stay there and don't move!" commanded Homura to Madoka as she dived out through the broken window, spreading her wings wide. "Whatever happens, do not go out of this room!"

Eliyah Sampah was waiting for Homura, bouncing around on the ground and creating minor earthquakes. She just loved listening to the cries of the people within, thinking that it was all some sort of natural disaster.

" _Boing! Boing! The clock ticks, the mouse screams! The earth shakes, the people dream!_ " she chanted in an off-key trill. " _Heeheeeheeee!"_

The trash witch glanced up a split second too late. Homura landed upon the trash can lid like a lightning bolt from the sky, slamming it hard over Eliyah's head. Eliyah screeched fiendishly in pain, summoning Serla to knock Homura away, but the Demon was too fast.

In the blink of an eye, Homura disappeared off the lid and was now behind the witch, aiming her bow at the back of Eliyah Sampah's misshapen head.

"Good riddance to you, witch!" snarled Homura, pulling back the bowstring to its maximum capacity.

But it wasn't over yet. Eliyah Sampah gave a ghoulish chuckle, and below Homura, five spindly Serlas burst from the earth, catching the girl completely off guard.

Her ebony bow dropped from her grasp as Serla wrapped her barbed fingers around Homura, tightening mercilessly as Eliyah laughed in glee.

" _The wings break, the girl who is a freak. The clock booms, the demon is doomed! Hahahahahaha...!_

 **It's another cliffhanger XD Have fun screaming until the next chapter XD**

 **~SaitheVivana**


	6. Chapter 5 : Witch, Goddess, Puella Magi

**Chapter 5 : Of Witches, Goddesses and Puella Magi**

As the girls were being pushed along the corridor with the masses of rushing bodies, Kyoko's sharp eyes caught a glimpse of black and white wings through a window in the escape hatch. She slowed down automatically, curious about it, but got shouted at by an elderly woman.

"Hey, you, girl! Don't stop in the middle of the stairs, we're all in a hurry!" she spat at Kyoko. "Unless you're immune to gales, then you'd better move now!"

The old lady gave Kyoko a push, which was surprisingly strong for a woman who looked like she was eighty years old. The red-haired girl stumbled, grabbing the staircase railing for support. Ever the hot-headed one, she flared up, shouting at the retreating back of the old lady.

"As a matter of fact, old lady, I'm _not_ immune to gales! But I appreciate it if you don't spit all over me!"

Yuma seized Kyoko's arm, hauling her along while shouting, "Kyoko, don't get mad. We have to escape now!"

"But-" Kyoko began indignantly, and was silenced by a pitiful glance from Yuma.

"Yuma is scared, Kyoko! Can't we escape first?" pleaded the green-haired girl, clearly frightened.

Reluctantly, the red-head allowed Yuma to pull her along, eyes darting around for Sayaka, Mami and Nagisa, who were lost within the crowd. Kyoko could only gape wordlessly at the black, raven-like figure outside as it was caught up by five long arms that belonged to a huge trash can.

She hoped she wasn't going crazy. She was seeing weird things all around her, which no one else seemed to notice.

Homura writhed about painfully in Serla's vice-like grip, beating her sharp feathers hard against the witch's fingers. However, it only succeeded in annoying her. Squawking like a demented parrot, Eliyah made Serla bring Homura towards her at an incredible speed.

Unable to react fast enough, Homura was tossed straight at the witch's vile face, whose mouth was wide open, churning out Olyams and Tirrys. The minions came at Homura with blurring speed, shredding at her dress and wings with brutal ferocity.

She yelped in pain, trying to block their attacks by shielding herself with her wings, but the maggots practically hit into them and dissolved, weighing her down terribly. Desperately, she flapped her burdened wings, trying to evade the torrent of minions that were pouring out of Eliyah's mouth.

From the broken apartment window, Madoka was watching the battle with increasing fear for her friend. Homura looked like she was about to lose, panting hard and dodging the flying insects without much success. Her ebony bow lay useless upon the ground, glinting in the pale moonlight.

"Homura-chan!" called out Madoka, cupping her hands around her mouth, "You can do it! Everyone's depending on you, so please, don't give up yet!"

However, Madoka only succeeded in distracting Homura. The Demon glanced upwards at the apartment window out of reflex, and immediately, Eliyah took the opportunity to bounce on her, clamping her up inside the trash can.

Madoka screamed. She hadn't expected the witch to swallow Homura like that. Darting around Mami's wrecked room, she tried to search for some spare keys; under the sink, between the sofa cushions, behind the cupboard... Tears began to flow down her face. If she couldn't find a way out, then Homura would likely die inside the witch, and it would be her fault.

As she scrabbled around wildly for the keys amid the rubble, a distant, angelic voice sounded inside her head.

" _Madoka... If you want to save Homura, then you must remember me! Remember the Goddess within you!"_

Madoka stopped her aimless search, dumbfounded. Suddenly, a splitting headache made her double over, and she screamed silently. In her mind's eye, she saw herself being transported beyond the earth's atmosphere, rushing upwards into the stars.

 _Endless space... A flash of vivid golden eyes and a beautiful smile... A long white dress, billowing out with galaxies... White gloved hands extended towards Madoka in a friendly gesture._

The pink-haired girl gasped in utter confusion. "Are you... _me_?"

Homura had gotten herself distracted by Madoka. Now, she found herself face-to-face with Eliyah inside the cramped trash can. In full view, the witch looked more bizarre than ever. Her head was a disproportionate size from her tiny, shrivelled-up body, which was ridden by small Tirrys. She had long legs but no arms, and her Serlas were swarming around her like a massive black cocoon.

Having lost her power to stop time, Homura's mind was now clicking furiously to think of an escape plan. Who knows what may be happening to Madoka right now? She could've been assaulted by the Olyams for all Homura knew.

With only her heavy wings as her sole weapon and shield, Homura defended herself from Serla's punches and Eliyah's kicks, wincing as Serla's barbs drew blood. She glanced upwards momentarily, noticing that the lid was still open.

She had a plan.

Mami was trying to get at Sayaka, who had run against the crowd back towards the apartment, calling out Madoka's name. Nagisa trailed behind her, whimpering as the taller bodies brushed past her roughly, knocking her around.

"Mami, we have to get to the evacuation point!" urged Nagisa. "Why are we going back?"

Mami replied without looking backwards. "I have left Kaname-san inside the room, and Miki-san is going back to save her." Her voice was filled with dread. "I can't let her do it alone, even though if I'm scared!"

Nagisa yelped as a man accidentally hit her face. But she ploughed doggedly onwards with Mami, grabbing a nearby fire extinguisher from its holder. She tossed it to Mami, who caught it deftly in surprise.

"A battering ram to open the door!" winked the small, white-haired girl. "We'll need it!"

Right now, Kyoko's priority was to get Yuma to safety, but the black figure outside had triggered some sort of distant memory, and she was struggling to keep up with the crowd. Besides, she had lost Mami, Sayaka and Nagisa in the confusion. She wouldn't forgive herself if something bad had happened to them.

As they went down the next flight of steps, she saw the trash can monster again through the cracked window. Flies and maggots were all over the place, but the winged person was no where to be seen.

She pulled Yuma close, afraid that the little girl may get swept away. Bending over, Kyoko said into her ear while pointing outside, "Yuma, do you see anything weird outside that window?"

Yuma squinted hard, looking at the direction of Kyoko's finger, and inhaled sharply.

"I see a big trash can, with the scribbly flies we saw just now." She creased her little brow in concentration. "Yuma thinks she has seen these monsters before, but can't remember..."

People were still shoving around the two girls, anxious to get to the evacuation point, and there was an endless stream of curses, screams and insults.

"Move over, runts!"

"What are you two girls doing? Run!"

"Hey there, this is a gale we're talking about, not some fancy party!"

Kyoko glared around her, hugging Yuma close and backing against the wall facing the window.

"If you have any more stupid comments, then say them now!" she challenged the crowd. But no one paid her any attention; they continued their frenzied rush for the exit. Kyoko was beginning to think that they were seeing things that the others couldn't. A monster that big could never have been mistaken for a gale.

Yuma was stifling back her tears; she was obviously scared as she watched the creature through the window. "Kyoko, something just came out of the trash can... I think it's Homura."

The older girl followed Yuma's gaze and gawked when she saw - true to Yuma's words - Homura bursting out of the trash can in a cascade of feathers and flies. Surrounding her was a huge flock of doll-like, stuffed birds, each armed with a cut-throat beak and lethal talons.

The unmistakeable voice of Homura Akemi echoed through the night air.

"Your time is at an end, _witch_!"

 _Witch_...Kyoko's eyes widened in sudden understanding, glancing at the silver ring on her middle finger. Small, undecipherable runes began to appear on it as realisation dawned upon her.

 _A witch...Then that makes me..._ a Puella Magi _..._

Mami and Nagisa had finally reached Sayaka, who was frantically pounding at the door of the apartment with her bare fists. By now, the hallway was empty save for the three girls. Everyone else had already fled.

"Madoka! Madoka? Are you still in there?" she yelled, peeping through the keyhole. Then, she heard pounding footsteps and looked behind, relieved to see her senior and Nagisa. She was about to say something when she was rudely interrupted by the young girl's shout.

" _Gaangwaaay_!" yelled Nagisa at the top of her voice, hefting the considerable weight of the fire extinguisher, as she and Mami charged at the door together.

Sayaka leaped out of the way just in time, and the door shuddered under the impact of the blow.

"Again!" said Nagisa enthusiastically, tottering about and feeling jarred from the impact. Mami merely put a hand to her mouth and muttered an "Oh, my."

Sayaka took the fire extinguisher from Nagisa and Mami, saying, "Let me do it. I'm taller _and_ stronger than both of you!"

Ignoring the pouty face of Nagisa, Sayaka hoisted the red cylinder to chest height and ran at the door with a vengeance.

"I'm coming for you, _Madokaaaaa_!

Once, twice, thrice Sayaka collided powerfully with the door, and finally, on the fourth strike, the door flew off its hinges, surprising everyone. Mami gave an audible gasp as Sayaka grinned sheepishly, tossing aside the battered fire extinguisher. "Oops. Guess I don't know my own strength."

The three girls rushed inside, but was stopped short when they noticed Madoka kneeling at the broken window with a mysterious pink aura around her. Her hair and clothes were floating around, and when she turned to face them, her eyes were flickering between their normal hue of pink and a brilliant gold.

She smiled, saying to them in what could only be described as a godly voice, " _Mami-san, Sayaka-chan, Nagisa-chan._.. _How could I have forgotten about my dear Puella Magi?_ "

Eliyah Sampah was not prepared for what Homura threw at her next. With a vicious cry, Homura discharged an immense amount of purple, pulsating energy, hitting the witch bodily and knocking her backwards onto the wall of the trash can.

Seizing the chance, albeit a little shaky from the exertion, Homura leapt out of the trap and summoned her minions, the stuffed birds, Liese. They swooped down and caught her, lifting her clear above the appalling witch and her Serlas, then dropped her onto the ground safety, squawking.

Regaining her composure, Homura then called upon her other minions, the Clara dolls and Lottes, who promptly marched onto the scene, spears bristling. The Clara dolls laughed, doing cartwheels and weeping fake tears into handkerchiefs, careening around the witch in a mad dance of war.

Hastily, Homura rapped out orders to her subordinates. "Coldheartedness, take half the Clara dolls and the Lieses and attack the Olyams. Stupid-looking, take the other half and get rid of the Tirrys. Love, lead the Lottes and take out the Serlas. Go!"

With a salute, Coldheartedness, Stupid-looking and Love raced off, giggling to themselves as they gathered their forces. They set upon the minions savagely, killing them left and right, whirling through the battle like juggernauts of doom. In no time at all, the place was cleared of flies and maggots.

With more than half the burden now off her shoulders, Homura sped towards Eliyah, shaking off the goopy mess of Tirrys from her wings and howling out her challenge with a smirk, "Your time is at an end, _witch_!"

Tackling into the witch, Homura managed to topple Eliyah over, upsetting the lid. Eliyah screamed, her torn lips oozing blood and maggots as she commanded her Serlas to knock Homura away. However, Lotte was at Homura's side at once, and she jabbed at the spindly arms in rapid succession, making them explode into a spray of black scribbles. Love appeared next to Homura, forever smiling, as she jabbed another Serla with a long pin, relishing in the witch's agony.

Picking up her ebony bow calmly, Homura walked over to the fallen witch, taunting it. "Thought you could destroy everything and grow stronger, now did you? Tsk." She placed an arrow onto the bowstring, pulling it back slowly, eyes narrowing wickedly. "You naughty witch. It's time to go to sleep!"

Eliyah glared at Homura through her hollow orbs, uttering a final, ominous warning. " _The Demon may win, clear the witch's sin. But the Goddess will awaken, retribution will come!_ "

Looking bored, Homura released the arrow, piercing Eliyah's skull cleanly as the witch gave a final, spine-chilling wail. She disappeared, and along with her, any remaining minions. Slowly, the barrier around the apartment dissolved, and the night sky returned to its normal look, twinkling with stars.

Exhausted, Homura flew up to the apartment, dismissing her minions and wiping away some blood from her face. The Clara dolls groaned; now that the action was over, they would have to go back to their own dimension. They sulked as they herded the Lieses and Lottes through a portal, then snapped their fingers and was gone.

Homura exhaled in relief. At least Madoka and the people were safe now. She landed on the windowsill, telling herself to fix up the apartment later and alter everyone's memory so that they wouldn't remember the event. But, when she looked at Madoka, she gasped in horror.

Madoka was glowing with a godly aura, and behind her was Mami, Nagisa and Sayaka, who were stuttering in surprise at the sight of the Demon.

"W-what? Are you really Homura?" exclaimed Sayaka.

Mami gasped. "Is this true, Akemi-san? Are you trying to stop us from remembering that we were once Puella Magi?"

Immediately, Homura rushed at Madoka and grabbed her roughly, extending her wings and bashing them into the trio, knocking them senseless.

"You know _nothing_!" she hissed, eyes alight with murder as she gazed at the unconscious forms of Mami, Sayaka and Nagisa.

"For the sake of Madoka, I _will not_ allow anyone to remember...!"

 **Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter XD Homura's going all berserk to prevent Madokami from remembering O.O**

~ **SaitheVivana**


	7. Chapter 6 : Revelation

**Chapter 6 : Revelation**

The sky was tinged a brilliant pink-gold by the setting sun. Already, stars were visible, peeking among the reddish clouds hanging about in the heavens. A flock of birds overhead called out an end to the long day, wheeling about in an aerial display of colour and agility.

Luna and Estella stood at a hilltop, observing every minute detail of the scenic view before them. Back at Lordanum City, which was still very much in sync with nature, they rarely had the chance to see high-rise buildings, let alone tech-savvy parks and malls. Ever since they had arrived at Mitakihara, their life had taken a whole new turn, though for the better or worse, they didn't know. They still couldn't let go of their previous life back at Lordanum - all their friends, the wildlife, the forests and outbacks...

Luna sighed, lowering her eyelids slightly. "I'm so homesick, Stella. Aren't you?"

Her twin grunted, shifting her weight to her other foot while sticking a hand into her short hair. "Well, nothing much we can do but cope with it for now. At least, until mom and dad's boss tells them to shift again." She ran her hand through her short, dark-blue strands, adding, "I wouldn't call Lordanum home if I were you. We've only been there for six months-"

"I'm so sick of all this moving!" interrupted Luna, throwing her hands up into the air in exasperation. "Why can't we just settle down somewhere permanently? First, it was U.K., then it was India, and then China, Japan, Russia, Canada, Brazil, U.S., and now, Japan again," she counted off her fingers and sighed. "When will we ever go back home to Granar Plateau in Australia?"

Estella glanced at Luna with a wry grin, cocking her head to one side. "Well, to settle down for good... that's just not our destiny, now is it?"

The black-haired girl pouted, readying another remark but was stopped when Estella wrapped her arms around her twin, nudging her playfully. "Aww, c'mon! Don't mope like that, it's not like the world's ending. Besides, we've got a whole evening to ourselves since mom and dad aren't at home. Let's go have dinner somewhere nice!"

Luna couldn't help smiling at her irrepressible twin. Giving up, she allowed herself to be hauled along down the hill and towards the city.

"Where do you want to have dinner?" asked Estella, skipping around her sister.

"Hmm, how about that first place where we had lunch together with mom and dad?" replied Luna. "You know, the one near the apartments. The food there was quite nice."

Estella beamed. "Okay!"

Hand in hand, they walked into the city, reminiscing about the past.

A light breeze picked up, whistling around the busy streets and its people who were eager to go home after a long day of work. Oriko and Kirika made their way along the throng of city-people, heading for the eatery near the apartments.

"Say, Oriko," began Kirika, "Do you think something is up with the atmosphere tonight?"

Oriko gave her a puzzled glance. "What's wrong with it? I don't feel anything."

Kirika shrugged. "I dunno, I just feel something's off. Like, that feeling you get when you just know that your chemistry results are gonna be bad. Really bad."

Her friend looked upwards into the red-blue sky. She slipped her hand into Kirika's, saying, "Well, if you think something is wrong, then I trust in your judgement. You will take care of both of us, won't you?" Oriko's eyes narrowed, her face a grave mask.

Kirika blanched, embarrassed at Oriko's sudden request. "Whaa-at?! O-of course I'll take care of us! I won't let no weird thing get between our friendship, trust me!"

More people walked past them, giving no thought to the two girls. Oriko and Kirika stood at a pavement, observing the clouds as night began to fall. Both were lost in their own thoughts - of the past, the present, and the future.

It was Kirika who broke the silence. With her playful mood returning to her, she tugged at their connected hands and said, "What happened to dinner? I'm famished... starving... no, _ravenous_! I could really use a pancake right now!"

Oriko giggled, allowing Kirika to pull her along as they ran to the eatery. Halfway there, they stumbled upon a pair of surprised Australian twins. The siblings halted when they noticed Kirika and her friend. The other senior girl looked very intimidating, with ash-blonde hair pulled up in a messy ponytail and stern, piercing blue eyes that seemed to see more than merely surface details.

As usual, Estella stepped up and greeted them in her awkward japanese accent. "Good evening, Kirika-senpai and..." she paused, unsure what to call the ash-blonde girl.

Oriko smiled. Releasing her hold on Kirika's hand, she introduced herself to the twins. "Hello there, my name is Oriko Mikuni, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Estella and Luna Queen. Kirika here has told me about you two," She extended a hand to shake those of the stunned twins as she continued, "So, you're from Lordanum City in Australia?"

Estella and Luna shook hands with Oriko, feeling relieved that the senior girl was friendly despite her appearance. Estella replied on behalf of the both of them, "Nice to meet you too, Mikuni-senpai. Actually, we're from Granar Plateau of Australia, but, really, we could have come from anywhere in the world."

"Hey!" hissed Luna, whispering to Estella in their native tongue, "Why did you tell her that, Stella?"

"Hmm? Is something wrong?" enquired Oriko, noticing the small exchange between the twins.

Luna stuttered hastily, pushing Estella behind her, "Errrr... n-nothing's wrong, senpai. Just ignore what my twin said."

Oriko looked surprised for a moment, then she let the subject drop, changing the topic. "So, what brings you girls out here tonight?"

"We're out for dinner because our parents aren't at home," said Estella, twisting the silver ring on her finger unconsciously. "They're always away due to their business projects."

"I see," Oriko nodded her head like she understood. "And where are you two going for dinner, if you don't mind me asking?"

Luna piped up, gesturing in the direction of the apartments. "We're going to the eatery near those apartments. The food there is quite nice, I have to say, especially their desserts."

Kirika, who had stayed quiet during the whole conversation, now spoke up, delight evident in her voice. "Ooooh! That's where Oriko and I are going! What a coincidence!" She skipped around, clapping her hands, the voodoo doll bouncing on her hip. "Well, what are waiting for? Let's go now, I'm hungry...starving...no, I'm-"

" _Rapacious,_ " Oriko finished the sentence for her with a hidden smirk. "You're rapacious, Kirika."

The brown-haired girl's face fell as she stopped skipping. "You meanie, Oriko. What does rapacious even mean?"

Oriko dismissed the question with a wave of her hand as she began to walk. "Search it up in the dictionary and you'll know. Come on, everyone, let's go for dinner now!" Her suggestion was eagerly agreed, and the foursome made for the eatery, laughing and chattering and getting to know each other. Little did they know that something was about to change their lives for good.

The wind shifted its direction, blowing in a sudden strong puff. Kirika's senses became alert, temporarily drowning out the sounds of her friends.

The atmosphere was off. She just knew it was.

Being very popular as a hot-spot for hungry tourists, the eatery was jam-packed by the time they reached. Kirika stood on tip-toe, surveying the area for any empty seats. She spotted one at the far right corner, to which she immediately shouted, "There! Luna, quick, grab it before anyone else does!"

Unbeknownst to Kirika as of yet, Luna was quite the airhead and day-dreamer when it came to matters of the un-academic. She gave Kirika a blur look and said, "Huh? Whazzat?"

Estella slapped her forehead. She grabbed Luna's wrist and pulled her, none too gently, to the empty table while reprimanding her. "You dolt, quit dreaming and pay attention to what others say. What is it this time, werewolves howling death threats to vampires?"

Luna put a finger to her lips, making a confused face. "No, of course not. I was thinking about whether kangaroos could jump backwards. I've heard they can't." She looked at Estella expectantly as Oriko and Kirika came over, asking, "What do you think, sis? Can kangaroos jump backwards?"

Estella rolled her eyes upwards. "No they can't, and that's a given fact. You've never seen one jump backwards, have you not? And to think you call yourself Australian. Now sit down and stop dreaming."

Her twin sister huffed. "Just because you're 121 seconds older than me doesn't mean that you can boss me around, Stella."

Kirika's lips parted in a grin as she sat down next to Oriko. "121 seconds apart, eh? Guess what, twins?"

Oriko chuckled, looking at the sisters' curious expressions. They creased their brows, saying in unison, "What is it, Kirika-senpai?"

Kirika spread her hands, replying, "Oriko and I are exactly 121 days and 3 hours apart in age, just like you both are 121 seconds apart. I'm the younger one, so I guess that makes me like Luna."

"What a coincidence!" squealed Luna in delight as she clasped her senior's hands. "Oh, Kirika-senpai, do you think I'll ever be as cool as you?"

Her gold eyes twinkled in merriment as Kirika tossed her shoulder-length hair and laughed carelessly. "Me, cool? You flatter me, Luna, hahahaha!"

The two went on complimenting each other with much zest, much to Oriko's amusement. It was nice to see Kirika talking and socializing with other people besides her. Turning to Estella, she said, "Let's leave those two admirers to starve. Why not you go ahead and order something first, Queen-san? Waiter!" Oriko waved her hand in the air to call over the black and white-clad waiter.

He hurried over, carrying some menus with him which he placed in front of the four girls. There was much bickering and debate as to what to order, because, as Kirika said, "Everything here is just too nice. It's like trying to pick the perfect leaf off of a perfect tree." In the end, Oriko settled for cold soba, Kirika chose a beef bowl with eggs, Luna took ramen noodles in miso soup and Estella went with a sushi platter and tempura.

* _Half an hour later_ *

The four girls sat back in their chairs, feeling nice and full after the scrumptious meal. The full moon was already out, casting a pale, white glow onto the many trees along the pavement swaying gently with the night breeze in a moonlit dance.

Oriko stood up first, beckoning the waiter for the bill while saying, "The meal's on me, as the mark of our first meeting!"

The twins were taken aback. "But..." began Estella, thinking of a way to refuse Oriko's kind offer. "We couldn't just let you pay, Mikuni-senpai. We've just met you!"

"Aww, take it cool, guys. Oriko's being nice today, so why not accept her good will?" winked Kirika, putting her arms behind her head. "Think of it as a treat from your senior."

The twins watched as Oriko paid out the sum at the cashier while Kirika gathered their belongings and started to walk towards the exit. The two girls followed suit after pushing in the chairs and stacking up the plates.

Outside the shop, the night air was cool and crisp. Stars blinked above, their view of the earth below occasionally blocked by the mischievous clouds. Estella and Luna thanked Oriko for paying for their food, promising that they will do something in return for her favour. Oriko just smiled at them, saying, "I did not pay for you two just to get gratitude and repayment, you know? It's fine, don't fret about it."

As they made to go back home, with the twins chatting in front of them, Kirika suddenly noticed something moving out of the corner of her eye. At once, the feeling of dread that she had felt came back to her. She grasped at Oriko's hand, keeping her voice low so that only she and her friend could hear. "Oriko, remember that 'off' feeling that I had earlier on? Do you think it has anything to do with _that_?"

Oriko's blue eyes followed the direction of Kirika's finger, which was pointing to the direction of the apartments. She gave an audible gasp, which made the twins turn around.

"What is it, Mikuni-senpai?" asked Estella, concern etched into her features. She didn't have to ask more. She immediately noticed the huge apparition that had settled over the apartment like a multicoloured dome. Inside, it was filled with blurry figures, but she could make out a large trash can and a winged person who seemed to be battling against it.

By now, Luna had seen it too. The four girls stood rooted to the spot, terror seizing their hearts, and along with that, an unexplainable feeling that, somehow, this phenomenon had something to do with them.

"Stella, are you seeing what I think I'm seeing?" whined Luna, holding onto her twin tightly. Estella nodded dumbly, mouth hanging open.

All of a sudden, Oriko's knees buckled, and Kirika caught her just in time. "Oriko! What's wrong?!" The twins hastily went to help Kirika lower Oriko onto the ground, their hands trembling. Luna gave a shriek when she saw her senior's face.

Oriko's blue eyes had turned into glowing orbs. Turning them upwards to the blackened apartment, she raised a hand and pointed, uttering a single word which sent chills down the three girls' spines.

" _Witch._ "

Homura murmured non-stop, holding onto Madoka who had fallen into a stupor.

" _You will all forget this incidence. This was nothing but a fire drill. Go back to your apartments and carry out whatever you were doing before this happened._ "

" _Mami Tomoe, Sayaka Miki, Nagisa Momoe, you will forget that Madoka was a Goddess, and that you were once Puella Magi. Kyoko Sakura, Yuma Chitose, what you saw just now was just an illusion. You are not Puella Magi, and you will not remember this attack. Now, go back home._ "

" _As for you, Madoka...Stay as you are. Don't make me do something drastic. Please...I cannot lose you another time. You are my one and only precious friend, do you understand?_ "

Hot tears coursed down Homura's cheeks. She had hurt her three friends in a bid to stop Madoka from reverting to her Ultimate form, how could she have fallen so low?

She hugged the unconscious Madoka closer as she allowed her energy to pool around them, and subsequently, spreading it to the whole of the apartment. A shining purple barrier appeared around the building so that normal passers-by would not notice anything strange going on while she was working her magic. Her purple aura slowly restored the damaged building, pulling back bits and pieces of debris and furniture, reforming broken glass and bricks. Down at the evacuation point, the people started to disperse, going back to their own rooms while discussing the results of their 'fire drill'. Kyoko and Yuma promptly began to head for their home, the runes on Kyoko's ring disappearing rapidly. In just under five minutes, everything was back to normal.

Homura wiped at her tears, letting go of Madoka and changing back into her normal appearance. Her wings disappeared in a shimmer of purple, and she was back in the casual clothes that she was wearing. She gently put Madoka against the sofa and helped the other three sit upright against the wall, putting a fork and a plate of some leftovers from their cooking session into their hands so that they will not suspect anything. She gave them one last order.

" _When you wake up, you will remember nothing of me at all. You all fell asleep after eating. Kyoko and Yuma have left because it was getting late. Now, awaken!_ "

She snapped her fingers once, at the same time leaping out of the open window, wings of energy forming around her to give her a soft landing.

She was gone.

Madoka came to first, rubbing at her eyes groggily. The food was so good, they must have fallen asleep. She looked around the room and noticed the slumbering forms of Mami, Sayaka and Nagisa, and crawled over to wake them up.

"Hey, wake up sleepy-heads," she said, prodding at Sayaka and Mami's arms. They woke with a jolt. "Huh? Wha-! I didn't fall asleep, no I didn't!" stammered Sayaka, floundering around with her plate.

Mami yawned, stretching her arms. "Oh dear, look at the time. Sakura-san and Chitose-san must have left already." She then looked fondly at Nagisa, saying to Sayaka and Madoka, "It's late already. Why not you two head for home? I'll clean up and put this little girl to bed by myself. You must be tired after such a long day."

The two nodded gratefully as they went out of the room, bidding Mami a good night and a thank you.

"See you tomorrow, Mami-san!" said Sayaka, stifling a yawn, as she and Madoka walked towards the elevator. Mami waved them a goodbye and locked her door, proceeding to clean the cooking utensils and plates.

Outside, Homura smiled sadly as she looked at Madoka and Sayaka's receding forms. It wasn't good to manipulate other people's minds, but what could she do? It was all for the sake of Madoka.

"The purple light's gone," remarked Luna, who had, along with everyone else, witnessed the full event of happenings at the apartment.

"And so is that winged figure that leapt out of the window," added Kirika, still holding onto a very silent Oriko.

"What does this mean? Why is it that only we could see that trash can monster?" Estella tugged at the dangling pieces of her hair ornament, recalling the baffled faces of the passers-by when they asked if they could see a huge monster at the apartment.

To their surprise, Oriko suddenly spoke up, her eyes still glowing. What she said immediately loosed a flood of memories within the three girls' minds.

"It's because we're Puella Magi. And it's our job to see and defeat them, like it or not..."

 **Hope you enjoyed this non-action-packed chapter. Thought I needed a break from all that fighting XD But to you fans of combat, there will be another coming very soon, most possibly the next chapter, if things go well XD**

 **-SaitheVivana**


	8. Puella Magi Profile : The Twins

**Puella Magi Profile : The Twins**

 **Name** : Estella Queen  
 **Age** : 14  
 **Height** : 164 cm  
 **Wish** : She had wished for her dead father to be brought back to life, and that from now on, she can protect those she loved without any fear. (Her parents were lured into a trap and killed due to their huge influence in the business world)

 **Normal appearance** :  
Has dark blue hair with silver streaks and amber eyes with a hint of red in the middle. She wears a star-shaped hair ornament on the left side of her head. Tends to dress in a tomboyish way.

 **Puella Magi appearance (Theme colour: Dark blue and black)** :  
Her hair remains the same, but there is now a short braid hanging down the left side of her head. Her hair ornament is now her Soul Gem, which glows a bright yellow. She wears a long cloak buckled at her abdomen using a belt, a punk-like shirt and dress, and has knee-high, heeled combat boots with thigh-high black leggings. At her wrists are two spiked bracelets which she can ram into her opponents to inflict some damage. She wears a choker with a metal star hanging from it.

 **Weapon and Abilities** :  
Estella wields a dual-headed blade that is as long as she is tall, giving her great range. When fighting, she grips the centre of the blade which is bound in leather, and is able to spin it rapidly, turning it into a windmill of destruction. Being dual-headed and considerably light, she can be very versatile with the blade, and is able to fend off attacks even from behind with much speed and agility.  
When driven into a blood frenzy, she can go berserk and kill everything in her way with amazing power and ferocity without heed for her own safety, but this would speed up the corruption of her Soul Gem, so she is careful not to do it often. She has been seen taking down a huge witch with just one blow of her blade.

 **Name :** Luna Queen  
 **Age** : 14  
 **Height** : 164 cm  
 **Wish** : She had wished for her dead mother to be brought back to life, and that from now on, she can protect those she loved by always being there for them. (Her parents were lured into a trap and killed due to their huge influence in the business world)

 **Normal appearance** :  
She sports shoulder length, midnight black hair that seems a bit ruffled. Like her twin, she also wears a hair ornament, but it is in the shape of a crescent moon instead. Her eyes are also amber with a hint of red in the middle. She prefers dresses and skirts to trousers and shirts, unlike Estella.

 **Puella Magi Appearance** ( **Theme colour : Blue and silver) :**  
Three braids have formed behind her hair, though there is still a considerable amount of it hanging loosely around her shoulders. Her hair ornament is now her Soul Gem, which glows a bright silver. She wears a sleeveless, strapless top and a short long-sleeved jacket on the outside. Her plaited skirt is held in place with a diagonally-worn cloth belt which is tied at the back into a ribbon, and she has thigh-high white leggings and strapped heels. She also has a choker like Estella, but it has a moon pendant instead.

 **Weapon and abilities** :  
Luna uses a dual-headed polearm that is suited for close-range, melee combat. Her heavy weapon allows her to easily slice through enemies like butter, but hinders her movement speed. One jab from her large blade can kill off familiars immediately. Usually, though, she doesn't fight unless needed of her, and acts more as a support for Estella, who takes the brunt of all fights.  
Luna has the ability to heal herself and others, but it will eventually take a toll on her Soul Gem. She is always there to make sure Estella isn't hurt during the fight and heals her constantly so that her twin is able to go on fighting in peak condition. As such, the pair make a deadly duo - one attacks like a juggernaut without fear of getting hurt, another heals her to keep her fit and fast.

 **Trivia**  
~The twins can only transform in the presence of the other. Since their wishes were connected, their Soul Gems were also connected. This would mean that if one were to die, so would the other.

~Their names means 'Moon' and 'Star'


	9. Chapter 7 : Visions of the Future

**Chapter 7 : Visions of the Future**

 _Madoka, I had not wanted this to happen, but you have left me with no choice."_

 _"Please, open your heart to realise all this destruction and bloodshed that you've caused, Homura-chan! I do not want to fight you, please!"_

 _"Be quiet, Madoka, there's nothing more you can say to stop me now. I have done too much to turn back now. If the whole universe gets destroyed, I wouldn't care less if it were for your good."_

 _"No, Homura-chan... No, please, don't come any closer... I don't want to fight you..."_

 _"It's too late now, Madoka. Just give up."_

Oriko was doubled over in pain, her mind searing with jumbled-up images of Madoka and Homura arguing, of endless space, of Homura's sadistic smile as she raised her bow and aimed it at a glowing, angelic Madoka.

"NO!" screamed Oriko, striking out with her hand as if to intercept the invisible arrow that was loosed at Madoka. She hit Kirika on the jaw, stunning the brunette momentarily and making her yowl in surprise. Estella quickly grabbed at the flailing and shouting Oriko, restraining her.

"Stop it, Homura Akemi! What do you think you're doing?" yelled Oriko, eyes glowing bright blue with anger. She tried to release herself from Estella's iron grip, but when she found that she could not, she started to yell again. "Can't you see that this conflict will affect everyone and everything?! Stop!"

"Kirika-senpai, what's wrong with Mikuni-senpai?" asked Luna, fear showing in her voice as she hurried over to her sister to help hold onto Oriko.

Kirika rubbed at her sore jaw, a cold, icy feeling enveloping her. She scrambled over to the trio and held Oriko's face in her palms, saying, "Oriko! Snap out of it! I know you're seeing a vision, but please, calm down!"

Oriko's fierce eyes bore into Kirika's for a split second, and suddenly, the blue glow in them disappeared. As soon as her vision had started, it had ended most abruptly. Oriko slumped forward into Kirika's arms, panting slightly. Her skin was cold to the touch.

Luna and Estella made as if to put her back into a sitting position, but Oriko stopped them with a wave of her hand. Still hunched over in Kirika's arms, she said in a low voice, "Kirika, remember when I told you about Kriemhild Gretchen and how she would destroy the whole world if something were not to be done?"

Kirika nodded, feeling apprehension building up in her chest. "Yes. I remember that."

"This time, I saw something much more...terrible." Oriko said, her hands clutching at Kirika's. "I saw-" Her blue eyes widened in fear as she paused.

The twins huddled around Oriko, anxious to hear what she saw although they were still feeling quite befuddled about the whole event. Luna urged her on, "You saw...?"

Oriko stuttered, kneading her fingers into her forehead in frustration. "I saw Homura Akemi, Madoka Kaname, and... Homura suddenly shot an arrow at me, and... I... I can't remember anything else..."

"What?!" exclaimed Kirika, shaking Oriko gently, "Surely, you can't have forgotten your vision! You never forget them!"

"What if I did?" snapped Oriko, finally pushing herself off Kirika. The twins held her shoulders tight in case she fell over. Their senior looked weary. "There was something weird about this vision. It was as if Homura Akemi knew I was there looking at everything, and thus, she got rid of me before I could see anything else."

Kirika sat back on her heels, pondering over Oriko's statement. "Huh, that's certainly very weird. But your visions never go wrong, so we can't just ignore it."

Estella glanced at Luna, who was wearing a worried expression. She raised an eyebrow at her twin, giving her the silent question, "Do you know what's going on here?" Luna shook her head, mouthing, "I'm as stumped as you are." The short-haired girl, seeing as no explanations were likely to be given unless asked, spoke up, "Mikuni-senpai, if you don't mind me asking, but what is happening?"

Oriko tossed back some hair that was in her face, answering the query with another question. "First of all, do you two know what Puella Magi are? You two should even be Puella Magi, seeing as the witch was visible to your eyes."

The twins nodded in agreement, with Luna showing Oriko her silver ring, now embellished with her name runes. "Yes, we know what they are and we're Puella Magi ourselves. We've just remembered when you suddenly said those words. Though why in the world could we have forgotten such an important thing seems far too unreasonable."

Satisfied with their answer, Oriko said, "Unreasonable it may be, but it seems as if someone of a great power is trying to prevent us from remembering. There may be an ulterior motive to this." She glanced at Kirika and raised an eyebrow in question, but Kirika merely shrugged back at her. Oriko continued, "Anyways, back to your question, Kirika and I are also Puella Magi. I have the ability to see into the future and predict what's going to happen next. You may call them 'visions' or 'prophecies', but it doesn't really matter. Just a few minutes ago, when my eyes were glowing, I had a vision of Homura and Madoka, but they looked... very different. Almost godly, I would say."

"Godly?" enquired Kirika, bouncing on her heels. "Why would you say that?"

"I don't know, but that was the feeling I got when I looked at them," said Oriko, eyebrows knitted together. "They seemed more powerful, more unreal...more godly."

The four girls sat in silence, with only the hummings of the crickets striking up an orchestra to disturb their thoughts. In only a split second, their entire life, as they knew it, had changed. Now with the knowledge of Puella Magi, Witches and Wraiths resting on their shoulders, they couldn't just rest on their laurels and let the monsters wreak havoc in Mitakihara. Also, it had explained the many unfathomable accidents, mass homicides and suicides. But there was still Oriko's vision that bothered them. What could it possibly mean?

"Guys,' said Estella, standing up, "I was wondering, even before we remembered that we were Puella Magi, we could still see that trash can Witch. So, why is it that we couldn't see any Witches or Wraiths before this?"

"I think it has something to do with our memory being messed up," replied Oriko, getting up from the pavement where she had collapsed earlier during the vision. Kirika and Luna followed suit, dusting themselves down and grabbing their bags.

"I'll wager that there's some powerful force out there that was keeping our Puella Magi memories stashed at the back of our minds, and thus, making us blind to the Witches and Wraiths," said Oriko, walking briskly while staring into the moon-washed sky. "However, that force was somehow weakened at that moment, and it allowed our memories a sliver of a chance to resurface, enabling us to see the Witch."

Kirika clapped her hands joyously, doing a little hop-skip while exclaiming, "Ooooh! You're so smart, Oriko! How did you ever come up with that theory?"

Oriko smiled, feeling proud of herself for having thought of such a feasible reason. "It's just a hypothesis for now, but I'm pretty sure it has something to do with that vision of mine. Hence-"

She stopped in mid-speech abruptly, her pupils dilating as her feet ceased to move. Kirika accidentally bumped into her from behind and was about to protest when she noticed Oriko's grimace. 'Another vision?' she thought to herself as she braced Oriko's shoulders.

"Twins, Oriko's having a foresight. Get ready in case she falls again," instructed Kirika. The two girls hurriedly stood on either side of their senior.

Around twenty towering Wraiths stood around the eatery packed with the diners. They lashed out at the people with bright arms, grabbing them and turning them into pixels. Shining fragments filled the night sky - remnants of the many customers of the eatery. The Wraiths opened their mouths and began to suck in the floating, human, fragments, growing larger and larger in size. When the air was free of pixels, the group moved on slowly, looking like a pack of zombies out for blood.

Oriko was aghast. With a sharp inhale of air, she swung around and grabbed Kirika's arms, ignoring her friend's dazed mien. "Wraiths are about to attack the diners at the eatery we were at. We've got to stop them."

Kirika's golden eyes gleamed dangerously, composing herself immediately as she flashed a rapturous grin. "I've almost forgotten how much fun it was to kill Wraiths and Witches. Let's go!"

The four girls turned and sped off in the direction of the eatery, with Luna asking between breaths, "Mikuni-senpai, did you see that in your vision?"

Oriko nodded in response, continuing her run. Estella was awed, saying, "That ability of yours is very useful. It can turn the tide of any battle with your prescience!"

The ash-blonde girl smirked. "You flatter me, Estella-san. I'll leave you to judge my powers when the battle commences. Now, ready your Soul Gems. We'll have to transform at any given notice."

The eatery hovered into view, and they could glimpse the Wraiths coming at them in a wave of faceless monstrosity. The monsters were still a fair distance away, dragging their tall, ponderous bodies along as quickly as they could.

"If we can reach them before the hit the eatery, the diners wouldn't be affected," said Oriko, dodging a fallen branch on the pavement. She gave Kirika a meaningful glance, saying, "Kirika, this is where your skill comes in. Transform now!"

"Okay! Just watch me!" trilled the brunette. She tossed her Soul Gem in the air and caught it expertly, her clothes dissolving in a shimmer of black to be replaced by her Puella Magi outfit. With a wild laugh, she suddenly gained an immense burst of speed as she dashed ahead of the three, five glowing claws forming behind her as she ran.

"Try to keep up, or you'll be left with just the peons to deal with when you're there!" she yelled back with a mad chuckle, disappearing quickly into a black speck amidst the Wraiths.

"Wait! Kirika-senpai, it's too dangerous, you'd get overwhelmed!" shouted Luna as she tried to chase after Kirika. Oriko pulled at her sleeve, stopping her, much to Luna's surprise.

"Mikuni-senpai?! Why are you stopping me? Aren't you worried about Kirika-senpai fighting alone?" gushed Luna, her face red from the running.

"You worry too much, Luna," said Oriko as they neared their target destination. "Kirika is more than capable of holding her own against those Wraiths. For one, they're super slow even without having Kirika use her time-slowing ability. And, Kirika's claws are suitable for slashing through their arms easily. That girl is a Wraith killing machine, trust me."

Oriko sounded so confident about Kirika's skill that Luna felt much better. She ran alongside Estella as they readied their Soul Gems. They had a trick or two up their sleeves as well.

 **This seemed to be a shorter chapter compared to the others... ^~^" If there's anything that you feel curious about, feel free to PM me XD Anyways, I'll be adding a Puella Magi profile on the twins after this. Do check it out XD**

 **~SaitheVivana**


	10. Chapter 8 : The Brocken Wraith

The first Wraith was down before it even realised Kirika's presence. The black Puella Magi had appeared in front of it very suddenly, giving it no time at all to react. Her glowing claws ripped through its deformed head in a single fluid motion, killing it instantly. The Wraith dissolved into a pixelated puddle and disappeared, much to the fury of its brethren.

Kirika executed a perfect somersault in the air and landed on another Wraith's head. She stuck out her tongue at the nearest foe and yelled, "Hey, you there, you bung-bottomed buffoon! Yes, you! Care to jivvy with me in a waltz?"

The Wraith screamed and tried to whack at her with its long shining arms, but she neatly dodged and landed on another Wraith's shoulder. The unfortunate monster, whom she had perched upon its head just seconds ago, met its end at the hands of the angry Wraith. The shining arm cleaved through its body like as if it were nothing more than a withered leaf.

An unholy shriek ripped out from the Wraith's mouth, enraged by the fact that a puny little girl had made it kill its own member. Two claw-tipped arms lashed out at Kirika at what would have been the speed of a lunging snake, but to the gold-eyed girl, they were moving just about as fast as a snail. The two arms smashed into the hapless Wraith, minus the black Puella Magi. Kirika had leapt off the shoulder coolly and settled on the neighbouring Wraith's head. "Coo-e! I'm here, you slowpoke! Hahahahaha!" she taunted it, waving her claws in the air.

Before the Wraith could retaliate, it was knocked aside by another of its towering brethren. It hissed at the first Wraith, raising an arm to punish it, but another Wraith decided that enough was enough. They can't be fighting one another. It jumped in between the two Wraiths and immediately got a painful beating from the second Wraith.

It was then that all chaos ensued. The Wraiths started to fall onto one another, some hitting out at the elusive Kirika, others flailing their arms about wildly in hopes to catch her. But for most of the part, they only managed to hit each other silly. Pixels popped and sparked in the night air, turning the battleground into a visual display of 'fireworks'. Kirika weaved in and out of the fight, slashing randomly at faces, arms and legs, turning up the heat even more. With a final slash at a particularly ugly face, Kirika perched herself on a nearby lamp post, laughing maniacally at the Wraiths' stupidity.

"Hahahahahhahah! _Really_ , what a bunch of fools!"

Oriko, Luna and Estella had passed the diners. Thankfully, due to Kirika's efforts, the Wraiths haven't reached the eatery. The customers were still blissfully unaware of their potentially precarious situation. The trio forged on, and were surprised when they noticed that the Wraiths were actually fighting one another.

"Umm...what's going on there?" said Luna, scratching her head uncertainly.

"Beats me, sis. Looks like their brains are smaller than ants'. They don't even know their own enemy," replied Estella, feeling secretly relieved that the Wraiths were somewhat silly. After forgetting about her magical abilities for six months, she had feared that her fighting capacity would be severely lowered, leaving her at a great disadvantage.

Oriko was also feeling relieved. The twins' presence seemed to alleviate her burden. Though she haven't yet seen them in action, she instinctively knew that she and Kirika would be able to depend on them. "Twins, get ready for action," she said, "We'll launch an ambush on them while they're distracted."

They bobbed their heads once. "Roger!"

The senior Puella Magi nodded her approval, smiling grimly. She was about to transform when all of a sudden, a vision flashed through her mind.

000

 _A huge black Wraith had appeared out of the shadows like a demon out of hell. It was taller than the normal Wraiths by a full two heads, and it was not cloaked, showing off grotesque muscles and sinewy flesh. Kirika's face was that of pure shock as the monstrous Wraith grabbed at her and smashed her into the ground, screaming its hatred at mankind._

 _Five Wraiths then appeared before them and hit at the twins, separating them instantly and rendering them unable to transform. The monsters then proceeded to attack them, killing the twins easily as Kirika's dying cries sounded in the distance._

000

Oriko's breathing became laboured and heavy. They were all in danger! Anxiously, she gripped at Estella and Luna's arms and rapped out a sharp order, "Transform, _now_!"

The twins looked confused. "But, we haven't reached - " began Luna.

She was gruffly cut off by Oriko, who glared daggers at her. "Just listen to my orders, Luna-san! Hurry!"

Hesitantly, the siblings held out their ringed hands, readying themselves to transform when out of the darkness, five large Wraiths appeared in front of them, moaning and hissing. One of them knocked aside a surprised Estella, sending her flying into the nearby bushes, while another grabbed at Luna and threw her to the other side onto the pavement, stunning her and separating her from her twin. They advanced on them with claws raised, ready for the killing strike.

Oriko's eyes widened in fear. Her vision had come too late.

Ever alert, Kirika's senses were now heightened to the max. Wraiths kept pouring in like an endless torrent of rain, forcing her to stay on her toes all the time. New ones replaced the Wraiths she had killed, seemingly appearing from nowhere. By now, they had established who the real enemy was, and stopped lashing out at each other. Kirika's jovial mood was gone as she leapt at a Wraith, claws extended.

"Shit! Why are you guys _so_ annoying?" yelled Kirika as she raked across the Wraith's neck, severing it from the head. Panting heavily, she landed on the ground and stared upwards at the mass of monsters shuffling towards her in an ominous wave. Her Soul Gem was beginning to swirl with blackened spots - she had used too much slowing magic on all of the Wraiths. And, it seemed to her that she was reaching her Soul Limit much faster than normal. This new information troubled her - what she thought would be a quick battle had turned into an arduous fight for her life.

The number of Wraiths had doubled since the start of the battle. Apparently, a nearby gang had heard the commotion and was now in the midst of the action, determined to get rid of the Puella Magi, their sworn enemy. Kirika cursed under her breath. She had forgotten that Wraiths could call for backup.

Now, they were at a stand-off. The two parties stood unmoving; Kirika's eyes were trained on the foremost Wraiths, every muscle in her body tensed like a coiled-up spring, ready to leap and dodge at the slightest given notice; the tall Wraiths were poised like statues, their sightless faces turned at Kirika's direction.

" _Where are you, Oriko_?" muttered Kirika to herself, beads of sweat dripping off her chin. The Wraiths closed in on the small circle, trapping Kirika inside. "If you don't come, I might be done in... _for good_!"

Oriko transformed rapidly, summoning her vine-patterned metal balls and sending them zooming at the five Wraiths with gravity-defying speed. With an audible bang, the missiles hit hard and true at their heads, knocking the Wraiths to the ground and stupefying them momentarily. That was all Oriko needed. Thankfully, she managed to stop them before they killed the twins. She rushed over to Luna first, because she was nearer and her head was visibly bleeding badly from the throw.

"Luna-san! Are you still with me? Answer me!" said Oriko in a panicked voice, cradling Luna's head.

The dark-haired girl slowly opened her eyes, blinking them groggily while saying in barely a whisper, "Get me to Estella... without her, I can't transform and... Ugh...all would be... lost."

Oriko bit her lower lip in frustration. She wasn't a particularly strong person, and she somehow doubted her ability in hauling Luna all the way to the bushes before the Wraiths came to and attacked them. But do it she must. With a deep inhale, she heaved Luna up to her feet and placed the dazed girl's arm around her shoulders for extra support.

The Wraiths wriggled about on the floor whining as Oriko hurriedly stumbled to Estella, with Luna leaning heavily on her. She summoned another volley of metal balls and smashed them into the Wraiths' heads just to knock them silly for a few more precious seconds. Finally, they reached Estella, who was curled up on the ground with a large bloody cut on her arm, groaning painfully. Oriko collapsed in front of Estella, breathing in gulps of air as Luna fell directly on top of her twin, making her grunt.

"Quickly, Stella..." panted Luna, grimacing as she held Estella's trembling hand. "Get your Soul Gem out...so that I can transform...and heal us..."

Estella didn't reply, but she knew what to do. Her ring dissolved and turned into her Soul Gem, with Luna's following suit. Oriko watched in quiet awe as the two girls transformed simultaneously into their Puella Magi forms with a brilliant flash of light - the very embodiment of the moon and star. Their wounds were slowly closing up as they got up from the ground, looking refreshed without so much as a single scar on their bodies. Luna smiled at her senior, and immediately, a warm feeling washed over Oriko, invigorating her.

"What is this power that you are emanating?" asked Oriko, clearly in admiration of Luna's ability.

Luna beamed, now no longer in pain. "I can use healing magic to patch up injuries, minor or major. And, it rejuvenates the soul, enabling that person to go on fighting for hours without tiring." She took her weapon from out of the air, which turned out to be a dual-headed polearm suited for melee combat.

Estella, now garbed in a long, fighter's coat, materialized a long, double-headed sword and gripped the leather-bound centerpiece purposefully. "The talks and explanations can wait for later, Mikuni-senpai. For now, we've gotta take care of these Wraiths and get to Kirika-senpai before she is overwhelmed!"

The trio gave each other meaningful nods as they rushed headlong at the stunned Wraiths, yelling at the top of their voices.

"We're coming, Kirika!"

"Hang on there, senpai!"

"It's your death day, Wraiths! Hahahhahaha!"

Kirika was caught completely off guard by the colossal black Brocken-Wraith that had crashed in amongst the smaller, normal Wraiths, tossing them aside and bellowing its defiance in a twisted roar. It was at least two-and-a-half stories tall, towering over its brethren like a foul monstrosity, like the devil's spawn.

The black Puella Magi gasped as the giant caught her up in its claws, crushing all the breath out of her. Although it had no eyes, Kirika somehow felt its burning glare upon her as it raised its hand high, readying itself to kill her. Struggling hard, Kirika tried to get her hands free to cut at the Wraith, but its grip on her was just too tight. She squeezed her eyes shut, thinking of her beloved Oriko. Who will take care of her now that she, Kirika, was going to die?

She braced herself as the Brocken-Wraith brought its arm down in a swinging arc, meaning to grind her into pulp on the ground.

 _This is it. It's the end for me._

Much to Kirika's wonderment, she didn't feel any impact at all. In fact, the Wraith had stopped moving. Was it just toying with her? A hair-raising scream from a normal Wraith made her eyes snap open, and to her relief, she saw Oriko, Luna and Estella rushing towards her with drawn weapons. The twins split up and promptly attacked the normal Wraiths as Oriko went for Kirika.

"Oriko! I knew you'd come!" she called out gleefully, ever optimistic.

Oriko shot a volley of her glowing missiles at the Brocken-Wraith's hand, making it shriek and drop Kirika. "What ever made you think I'd leave you to fight a gang of Wraiths all by yourself?" said Oriko as she hurried over to her friend's side, helping her up. Their eyes met, and Kirika realised that Oriko's were moist, like she had been crying. "Really, Kirika, we're _friends_. And friends don't just leave each other to die, even if it means risking their own lives."

Kirika felt humbled. Here she was, fighting recklessly without a thought for the ones that she cared for, and how she might hurt them if she had died. "I'm sorry if I scared you, Oriko...I promise not to do that again..." She gave her best friend a hug, and was surprised when Oriko returned it, saying, "If you do this again, I'll never forgive you." Kirika just smiled.

Their reverie was broken by a shout from Luna. "Hey, you two, stop hugging in the middle of the battlefield and help us!" she screamed, deflecting an incoming arm with a twist of her polearm blade. Estella was at the other far end, hacking away at the Wraiths like a complete war machine, her eyes clouded over with the lust of carnage and blood. She yelled out at them in an unsteady tone, like that of someone approaching insanity. "Yeah, get up and fight before that black Wraith tramples all over you! Hahahahhahahahhaha!"

Oriko blushed slightly as she got up, sending a dozen metal balls sailing towards the black Wraith's foot just in time to stop it from crushing them underneath. Kirika grinned rapturously as she sprang at the wailing Brocken-Wraith with all the speed and agility of a black panther, unsheathing her claws and throwing them at its pixelated face.

" _Stepping Fang_! Hah! How do you like _that_?!"

Her ten glowing claws shot off her hands and buried themselves in its faceless head. It roared in agony and swept its arms clumsily at Kirika and Oriko, but missed when the black Puella Magi grabbed at Oriko and bunched her up in her arms, leaping away out of the Wraith's range.

"Twins!" yelled Oriko as Kirika put her down. They looked up from their fight, their chests heaving. "Can I trust the two of you to get rid of the normal Wraiths while Kirika and I deal with the black one?"

Estella gave them a thumbs up, grinning lopsidedly. The hint of red in her eyes had intensified, turning them into the colour of blood. "Sure thing, senpai! The Wraiths here will regret ever coming across Luna and I!"

With a bloodcurdling cry, she launched herself back into the fray, her double-headed blade wreaking havoc among the monsters. Its keen silver metal hummed in a deadly song, bringing death to her foes in whirling crescents and sweeps. Her initial worry that she may have lost her touch in fighting was forgotten as she revelled in the sheer joy of battle. Luna joined at her side, providing healing support for her twin and jabbing at the Wraiths whenever they came within her polearm range. Together, the duo made a fearsome sight - the berserker who knows no pain, and the healer-cum-fighter who is always there to lend a hand.

Oriko and Kirika then turned their attention on the Brocken-Wraith who was screaming and yelling, trying to dislodge the claws from its face.

"Ready, Kirika?" said Oriko, summoning a vast amount of glowing metal spheres behind her.

The gold eyes of Kirika glinted in the pale moonlight. Ten huge claws materialized out from her cuffs as she said with a smirk, "As ready as I'll ever be, Oriko. This black Wraith is going _down_!"


	11. Chapter 9 : Threats

Estella whirled through the battlefield, her face almost delirious as she cut and hacked through the Wraiths' bodies with practiced ease. They didn't stand a chance against her madness - she was just too powerful.

"Stella, be careful to not go overboard with your Berserker ability!" warned Luna, jabbing at a Wraith's arm that was coming at her. "Your Soul Gem is already tainting up!"

The red eyes of Estella glinted murderously as she cleaved a Wraith neatly in half, answering, "The Grief Cubes that we'd get will be more than enough to clear it up, so stop worrying!" She blatantly ignored the pouting face of her twin as she took another Wraith through the chest, dragging the blade upwards and killing the monster instantly. The other gang members shrieked angrily, bright arms out at their sides as they encircled and aimed at Estella, meaning to catch her and turn her into pixels.

The girl licked her lips in anticipation, her blade impatient for the taste of Wraith pixels. Faster than the eye could blink, she executed a complex, one-eighty-degrees bladework as the arms zeroed in on her. Bits and pieces of shining appendages flew about the carnage like a glowing maelstrom, with Estella in the centre of it all. Some of the clawed arms managed to scratch and rip at her, drawing blood in multiple places, but she didn't seem fazed at all. In fact, she constantly wore a demented smirk on her bloody features, laughing uproariously through the whole ordeal.

" _Stella_!" Luna yelled, gripping the haft of her polearm and hastily thrusting it at a Wraith's face that got too close to her. "Get out of there, you're gonna get yourself killed!"

Her cries went unheeded as Estella continued her frenzied rampage. Cursing under her breath, Luna checked first that the coast was clear, then ran as close as she dared to her twin, channeling healing energy towards Estella in waves of silver light. The horrendous wounds and gashes on the berserker's body sealed themselves up miraculously as Estella put on a fresh surge of strength. Whooping, she spun her blade rapidly until it resembled a gyrating windmill of destruction. The muscles on her arms stood out like whipcords as she flung the spinning weapon forcefully at the circle of Wraiths around her, decapitating four and mortally wounding at least five. Grief Cubes popped up all around Estella, glowing dimly. The blade returned to her hand and she caught it expertly, grinning from ear to ear.

"This is too easy," she boasted, stopping an arm from hitting her by slicing it off easily. A Wraith tried to attack her from behind, but she just flicked her blade downwards, letting the other bladed head slash upward to cut the arm.

"Easy for you to say!" retorted Luna, who was panting from her exertion to heal Estella. "Can you _not_ go around trying to kill the both of us and think more about staying calm? It's not easy to keep up with the speed you're getting hurt at!"

Estella smiled recklessly, cutting off another Wraith's head casually. "I'm trying my best to stay calm, sister dear, but the thrill of the kill is just too much! Hang on for a while more, I'll make quick work of the remaining ten Wraiths!"

"You'd better," huffed Luna, tossing her polearm into a Wraith's face. "Because I think our Soul Gems are tainting up faster than normal. Mine is already half black, and your's looks no better."

The smile on Estella's face faded when she noticed the amount of darkness in her sister's Soul Gem. She tightened her grip on the handle of her blade, saying in a much more level tone, "Hang in there, Luna. This will be over fast!"

Threescore of Oriko's glowing metal spheres, now twice their normal size, flew into the Brocken-Wraith's face at an amazing velocity. The monster screamed, staggering backwards from the blow while trying to dig out the embedded claws of Kirika and the hard projectiles of Oriko without much success. It spun around in a circle, wailing and spitting out webs of pixels in an attempt to ensnare the two Puella Magi, but only succeeded in tripping over one of the normal Wraiths. It fell down face-first and squashed another unlucky Wraith under its substantial weight, wrapping itself up in its own web as it thrashed about like a shark out of water.

"Hahahahaha!" laughed Kirika, slapping her thighs. "I knew it! All Wraiths are dunderheads, boss or not!"

Oriko shot her a stern glance, silencing her. With a wave of her hand, another score of metal balls materialized behind her as she aimed at the fallen Brocken-Wraith's throat. "This is no time to laugh, Kirika. Hit at its throat now, while its vulnerable and defenceless!"

"Hahah! Just watch me, it'll be over in a flash!" yelled Kirika as she leapt upwards into the air, holding both five-clawed hands above her head. "This will be the finishing blow! _Vampire Fang_!"

The ten claws on Kirika's hands glowed a deadly shade of red and black as she descended upon the Brocken-Wraith's neck like a meteor out of the heavens. At the same time, Oriko directed her spheres towards her enemy's face, leaving a faint trail of blue as they pelted it mercilessly. Too preoccupied by the metal missiles, the monster failed to notice Kirika who was falling towards it like a red shooting star. Her honed claws sank into the black Wraith's throat with a mighty quake, splitting the earth around them. Almost immediately, Kirika jumped off the chest, leaving her claws in its gullet and scurrying over to Oriko's side. The disfigured head of the Brocken-Wraith had flown off from its neck stump due to the immense force of the impact, landing with a dull thud three metres away from its body. Slowly, the whole thing shimmered and sparked into pixels, then dissolved into a puddle which quickly disappeared, leaving behind a large Grief Cube.

Oriko and Kirika heaved a huge sigh of relief. Glancing around her, Kirika checked to see if the twins needed any help, but Estella was already pulling out her sword blade from the last Wraith's head. It gave a final chilling wail before it died, gurgling in its death throes. Noticing that the Brocken-Wraith was gone, both sisters waved at their seniors cheerily, albeit looking none the worse for wear.

Oriko waved back at them, calling out with a smile, "Luna-san, Estella-san, good job! Go on and collect the Grief Cubes. We'll take the one that the black Wraith left behind." They nodded and set to it at once, eager to cleanse their heavily tainted Soul Gems.

Kirika did the same. Walking over to the Brocken-Wraith's Grief Cube, she took it in her palm and scrutinised it, remarking to Oriko, "This Cube sure is large. It's almost bigger than a Grief Seed. Wonder if it's as powerful, though?"

Oriko took it from her and, ignoring her friend's protests, placed it at Kirika's Soul Gem, which was attached at the small of her back. The black spots and swirls removed themselves from her citrine-coloured Soul Gem, transferring themselves to the Grief Cube in a thin stream of darkness. The small jewel shone bright and burnished, gleaming prettily without so much as a trace of its former contamination.

Oriko was impressed. She showed Kirika the Grief Cube, which still looked fit to absorb more Soul Gem pollution. "See, Kirika? It's much more efficient than a Grief Seed - it can still take more grief." To prove her point, she put it against her own Soul Gem and watched in delight as the blackness within it faded, going into the Grief Cube. However, some of the taint remained.

Kirika pursed her lips. "You should have purified yours first, Oriko."

She brushed off Kirika's comment as she took it away from her Soul Gem, looking around for more of the small black cubes. She saw the twins walking towards her with their hands full of them.

"Here, take some, Mikuni-senpai," said Luna, handing her some of the spoils of war they had obtained. Oriko gladly took one and pressed it to her Soul Gem, sighing with relief as she felt her energy returning to her. The twins followed suit, using up most of the cubes because of Estella's severe tainting.

"So, Berserker ability, eh?" asked Kirika, nudging Estella with a grin. "Wonderful power to have when you're surrounded by the blockheads, doncha know?"

Estella blushed slightly, the red in her eyes slowly diminishing and returning it to its original amber shade. "It's not that great, really. For one, it blackens your Soul Gem two times faster, and when I'm in that mode, I'm oblivious to everything else around me. All I can see is a red haze, and also that of anything that moves, and then I am overwhelmed by this immense urge to kill without heed for my own safety." She paused, glancing at Luna who was still busy cleansing her Soul Gem. Tapping her twin's arm to get her attention, she said in a low voice, "Luna, I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble. I could've gotten both of us killed."

Luna looked at Estella with a warm expression. "It's not your fault, sis. Its great that you could actually defend yourself while protecting me at the same time." She took her hands in hers and squeezed them. "All I can do is give you support, and you know that I will never leave your side."

They smiled at each other, and Oriko gave them a both a hug. "As long as everyone is safe, there will be no need for apologising." She broke off and the twins gave Oriko a meaningful look, understanding the wisdom in her words.

"Come on now, time to leave...though, about those cracks in the ground..." said Oriko with a crease in her brow. "Hmmm, people will surely see it and get curious. What should we do about it?"

Without further ado, Luna sent a wave of silver energy flowing into the ground. The edges of the ground pressed together and gave a hiss, sealing up nicely. Kirika's eyes widened in surprise. "You can heal floors as well?"

Luna laughed, "Haha, well, yes, I can _fix_ inanimate objects as well as _heal_ people, so its a very useful ability to have."

"Hah, fancy using the word _heal_ for floors, Kirika," Oriko giggled, pushing her indignant friend playfully. "Come on, it's high time we went home now. It's already very late, and your parents will be worried," she said to the twins. The foursome reverted back to their normal clothes, their weapons dissolving into the air. Estella picked up the remaining eight Grief Cubes and slipped them into her pocket.

They began to walk down the pavement when all of a sudden, a long haired girl stepped up in front of them, blocking their way. "Going somewhere?" she enquired in a cold monotone.

Kirika opened her mouth to protest, but Estella was much faster than her. She blurted out in confusion, " _Akemi-san_?"

Oriko's lips twitched downwards as she said, "Homura Akemi, it's been some time since we've met. What do you want with us?"

The dull purple eyes of Homura stared at the four girls eerily. She took a step towards them, her voice dangerously calm. "Tell me, Oriko Mikuni, Kirika Kure, Luna and Estella Queen. Would you rather choose amnesia, ignorance...or death?"

"What the hell's wrong with you, Homura!?" yelled Kirika, balling up her fists angrily. "What makes you think you can threaten us like that?"

Undaunted, Homura advanced until she was facing Kirika directly. The brown-haired girl gulped and stumbled backwards. "Kirika Kure, still as stupid and brash as ever, I see," said Homura indifferently. She turned her piercing gaze upon the other three girls. "Let me ask you again. Is it to be amnesia, ignorance, or death?"

Oriko, who could be very intimidating when she wanted to be, glared at Homura with her fiercest expression. "Explain yourself first, Homura Akemi, and maybe then, we'll decide about your _offer_."

The black-haired girl prowled among them, leering. "You four have just broken my laws of the universe by remembering your past as Puella Magi. Seeing as you are my acquaintances and classmates, I will be kind and allow you to choose a much better fate than what awaits you - that of turning into a Witch."

The three girls gasped, but Oriko kept her cool. Keeping her eyes trained on Homura, she said, "What, pray tell, made you come to that conclusion, if I may ask? And what is this law of the universe you are talking about?"

Homura sneered. "For your first answer, it's because what I say, goes, and it's a fate that Puella Magi will _never_ escape. About your second question, I cannot risk telling you more, so decide now. Its either amnesia, ignorance or death."

"How do you expect us to choose if you don't tell us what's going on?" countered Luna bravely, though looking shaken. "You obviously don't expect us to just take one out of those three impossible requests when we are completely unaware of what's going on."

Homura flicked her long hair carelessly. "I don't intend on telling you my aim for doing this, for you will never understand the love I feel for that person, so much so that I have sacrificed all my life just to ensure her wellbeing. I cannot care less about others who get in my way of protecting her."

"You're crazy, Akemi-san!" shouted Estella as she tried to grab Homura, but she twisted away easily like an eel, laughing.

"Call me anything you want, Estella Queen. Crazy, mad, insane... _demonic_. It all suits my title, and if you four still insist on me telling you my motive, then you are clearly mistaken, just like all those other pitiful Puella Magi around the world. You should know when to obey orders, especially if they're from someone on a much higher level than you."

By now, Oriko was beginning to feel creeped out by Homura and her ominous words. "Title? Motive? Puella Magi around the world? What are you talking about, Homura Akemi? Are you implying that you're someone way above our league? How unpleasant!"

She flitted around them, her downcast eyes filled with a sort of intense fire. "I shall say what I want, Oriko Mikuni, and I've already said it all. Now, stop lengthening this useless discussion and _choose_!"

The four girls huddled against each other, staring fearfully at Homura's unsympathetic grin. Trying to keep her voice from trembling, Oriko said, "You'd be a fool if you think we'd choose amnesia or death. Who would want to lose their memory of becoming a Puella Magi, even if it's fraught with danger? And who in the right mind would choose to die just because some crazy girl told them to?"

Homura growled at them, chafed. "I see. That is your decision, then. You are no different from the other Puella Magi, all choosing ignorance and subjecting themselves to triple the amount of Grief in just the span of one week. You've had your chance, now you will suffer the consequences of your choice."

She turned her back against them, continuing, "When you were still in the dark about your former lives as Puella Magi, your Soul Gems were completely safe, not being exposed to the environment and thus, not tainting one bit at all. But now that you've remembered, the Soul Gems will return to their normal state. They will now be constantly corrupted even out of battle, and what more, they will blacken at three times the normal rate. How else do you think that Witch had come about?" Her eyes narrowed evilly as their jaws dropped, stunned by the new information.

"You mean...that trash can Witch was once a Puella Magi who remembered her past?" asked Luna shakily. "And she chose ignorance as well and turned into a Witch because she couldn't keep up with the Soul Gem pollution?"

"That's right, Luna Queen. How smart of you!" Homura clapped her hands in mock admiration. "How else do you think Witches still exist after the first rewriting of the laws of the universe?"

"Rewriting of the laws of the universe? You're not making any sense, Homura Akemi!" shouted Oriko, aggravated.

"I don't _need_ to make sense of my words," said Homura, staring at the jeweled sky. "Just know that very soon, you four would be Witches, sowing the seeds of destruction in the hearts of mankind until another foolish Puella Magi remembers her past and gets rids of you. That is, unless you want me to kill you now and-"

"Yeah, right! As if we'd let you kill us just because you think we're scared of turning into Witches! We're not cowards who'd run away from the grip of fate!" yelled Kirika.

"Fine. If that's your choice." Homura gave them a sadistic smile as she turned to leave. However, she stopped in her tracks, saying, "Oh, one more thing before I go."

"What is it?" snarled Oriko.

"Wraiths don't give as much purification as Witches. Also, Witches are very rare, and so are those big, black Wraiths known as Brocken-Wraiths. They are the ones you'd need to keep your Soul Gem pure, for those tiny Grief Cubes are practically useless to you now," she said, toying with her Dark Orb on her ear. "Next, there's the problem of disposing your used Grief Seeds or Cubes. If you don't get rid of it properly, it could hatch into a more powerful Witch or Brocken-Wraith that could be way out of your capacity of fighting."

The faces of the four girls paled at once. Not a bit surprised at their lack of vocal protest, Homura continued with a malignant grin, saying, "I wouldn't be shocked if you four turned on each other just to get Grief Seeds or Grief Cubes. Hmph, you'd maybe even kill each other just so that someone turns into a Witch to be able to get a Grief Seed to purify your sorry selves. Well, I'll be on my way now."

She turned on her heel and flipped her hair again. "If you ever need a quick death to end your suffering, I'm always here to help." With that, she walked away into the shadows, her purple earring glinting brightly.

Oriko looked at her friends, fear and confusion stamped all over her face.

"What do we do now?"


	12. Chapter 10 : The Kidnapping

"Kyoko, Kyoko! What's that thing on the floor?" said Yuma, tugging on Kyoko's jacket sleeve.

The red-head gave Yuma an uninterested stare, saying, "What is it now? It's late already and I'm sleepy." The two girls were walking along the dimly-lit streets, heading back home after Mami's dinner party. She yawned, stretching her long arms behind her like a cat. Yuma pulled at the hem of her jacket again, trying to get her attention.

"See, Kyoko! On the floor behind you, there's a glowing black cube!" urged the young girl, skipping in front of Kyoko to stop her. Annoyed, Kyoko tried to get around her, but Yuma persisted. "Yuma will not let you pass unless you check out the black thing!"

Shooting Yuma an irritated glance, Kyoko finally relented and bent down to pick up the object which the little girl was so interested in. " _Huh, it'll probably just be a piece of rubbish that some fool threw away,_ " she muttered to herself while straightening up. Turning it around in her fingers, she examined it closely. Despite the fact that it was emitting a faint white glow, it looked about as normal as any cube could possibly be.

Yuma pressed her head next to Kyoko's arm, standing on tip-toe to see the cube. "Oooh... It's pretty, Kyoko! Can I hold it?"

"Pretty?" said Kyoko with a disgusted face. "It's just a normal black cube. They probably stuck a bulb in it or something. Looks no different from a piece of dark chocolate... Here." She handed over the object and Yuma clutched at it, observing its pulsing white light. Her green eyes it up with joy.

"Kyoko, why do I feel happy holding this thing?" said Yuma, smiling widely at the older girl. The black cube continued to glow dimly in her small palms, but as Kyoko looked at it, the glow slowly intensified, and Yuma's ring began to hum softly. The green inlaid gem trembled in its socket as Yuma smiled even wider, giggling. "Yuma thinks she has had this feeling before, but can't remember when."

Kyoko hastily grabbed the cube from Yuma's hands, stuffing it into her pocket. Her heart was racing, and she realised that she had broken into cold sweat.

 _"What the hell was that feeling?"_ she whispered to herself, her hand still in her pocket.

"Kyoko?" said the little girl, puzzled. "Are you okay? Why did you take away the cube from Yuma?"

She stared at Yuma blankly, her mind filled with sudden thoughts. All around her, the sounds of city night-life penetrated into her head, but she was too distracted by her own painful memories that were pounding themselves into her brain.

 _My ring... It can glow and turn into... a red, egg-like object?_

 _What is this... a spear?_

 _What's this long dress I'm wearing?_

 _Blood everywhere... Sayaka has turned into a monster..._ _So much blood..._

 _Homura has wings...raven wings... She's all black and white..._

 _What are these tall white creatures with no faces?_

 _Kyu...bey? Incubator?_

 _Homura Akemi... Madoka Kaname... What's going on?!_

A short yell burst forth from Kyoko's throat before she could stop herself. It was all coming back to her in short, sporadic images - the witch at the apartment; the people escaping from the building, thinking it was a hurricane; Mami and the others getting separated from she and Yuma; a black, winged figure that looked strangely like Homura Akemi.

Groaning, she pressed her hands to the sides of her head. Yuma, who was shocked by Kyoko's sudden outburst, quickly held onto Kyoko's arm, saying, "Kyoko, Yuma is sorry for making you pick up the cube! Just throw it away, if not, Kyoko will be in pain!"

Kyoko gave her young charge a wan smile, patting her head tenderly. "I'm fine, Yuma. Don't you worry over me. As for the cube, I think I'll be keeping it for now." She fingered the hard object in her pocket, looking into the distance. "Sayaka, Madoka and Mami might want to see it."

She took Yuma's small hand in hers and led her off back home. There will be a lot of questions drifting about in her mind tonight.

The classroom was abuzz with students talking and laughing, exchanging stories and gossiping about the latest news. Luna and Estella were together at a corner, looking sleepy and upset and deliberately distancing themselves from the others.

"Huh, look at those Queens. They think they're too great to mix with us, I guess," said Sayaka to Madoka, nodding towards the silent twins.

Madoka frowned. "Sayaka-chan, that's not a very nice thing to say. They look tired and worried. I wonder if something bad happened to them yesterday..." She then looked over at Homura, who was chatting with Hitomi. "Even Homura-chan seems down. She lacks her usual confident air..."

"Sheesh. You're too kind, Madoka," said Sayaka lightly. Her blue eyes roved towards the door, then at the empty seat next to her, sighing. "That Kyoko...skipping school again today."

Madoka, who was sitting behind Sayaka, rubbed her hands together nervously. "Do you think she's okay, Sayaka-chan? I mean, she and Yuma-chan just left Mami-san's dinner party yesterday without so much as a notice."

Tossing her hands into the air, Sayaka imitated Kyoko by sticking a red pen in her mouth to pass off as a Pocky stick. "You guys are such worry-heads. Of course I'm alright! Tchah! I'm just too lazy to attend school 'cause I haven't finished my homework because you refused to let me copy yours and now I'm pouting and you can't do anything about it, so there!" She finished the sentence in a single breath, her face contorted into an I'm-out-of-air-save-me look.

"Oh, Sayaka-chan, you're such a clown!" giggled Madoka, wiping away tears of mirth and feeling cheered up at once.

Sayaka smirked and tossed her blue hair dramatically, saying, "Hah! I, Sayaka Miki, am the ultimate clown of the century! Therefore, I order you to stop worrying about everything and everyone and start laughing!"

Before Madoka could react, Sayaka had spat out the pen and pounced on her, tickling her gleefully. "Laugh, Madoka, laugh! Hahahahaha!"

Their joyful gambol was halted abruptly when Miss Saotome entered the classroom. A furious look was etched on her normally soft features, making her look like the devil incarnate. The students hastily scrambled back to their seats, getting out their books and stationery while giving a hasty bow and greeting. The annoyed teacher slammed her books onto the table and whipped out her cane, pointing it directly at Nakazawa's face, ignoring her students' morning greeting.

"Should a pen cap stay on the pen-head when writing, or should it be taken off completely and put to one side? What do you think _, Nakazawa-kun!"_

The poor boy stood up, pining over his unfortunate fate as the teacher's prime subject of de-stressing and answering befuddledly,"Err...You can do it either way, right?"

" _Exactly!_ " screamed Miss Saotome, snapping her cane in half to drive the point home. There was an obvious flinch in every single student present.

"Here we go again..." groaned Sayaka, slamming her forehead into the table. "I bet this is the _millionth_ time she got dumped."

" _Sayaka-chan!_ " exclaimed Madoka, trying to suppress a giggle. "You're exaggerating! Heehee!"

Miss Saotome waved her broken cane in the air, shrieking angrily, "Guys shouldn't judge girls by _the way they put their pen caps away when writing!_ And boys, please don't become men who are _so picky_ about their female partner's behaviour, _have I got you all clear?!_ "

A low ' _yes_ ' sounded throughout the class. Miss Saotome beamed, feeling much more better. She seemed to be an expert in mood swings. "Okay then, class. Time for studies. Take out your textbooks and open them to page 136..."

Sayaka moaned. She should have stayed at home, seeing as Kyoko wasn't here. ' _I'm so gonna get you for leaving me alone, Kyoko. Just you wait after school is over!'_ she thought to herself, picking up her textbook grudgingly. ' _Just you wait..._ '

Mami stifled a yawn, trying to concentrate on the textbook words in front of her. Thankfully, there were only ten more minutes before school was over. She glanced at her watch, willing the time to go by faster. Unknowingly, her head nodded forward once, twice, thrice, and her eyelids shut lightly, sending her into the world of dreams.

000

 _Screaming...lots of screaming... People running around in the corridors, screaming, "Hurricane, get out fast!"_

 _Madoka had been left behind. The black flies were going to get at her..._

 _She was running with Nagisa, holding onto a fire extinguisher. Hopefully, she wasn't too late._

 _Sayaka rammed into the door, allowing them to enter the room. Madoka was sitting alone at the shattered window, a holy aura surrounding her._

 _"My dear Puella Magi, how could I have forgotten about you?" she said, extending her arms to them. Mami knelt down in front of her, stunned. Sayaka and Nagisa clutched at each other, stuttering, "M-M-Madokami?"_

 _Madoka smiled. "Yes, it is I, Madoka Kaname, bringer of the Law of Cycles. Homura-chan is trying to keep me from remembering my true self, but with your help, I can now go back to where I belong."_

 _"Wait," said Mami in bewilderment, "Can you explain from the very beginning?"_

 _Nagisa touched Mami's shoulder, saying, "Do you remember that we were all once Puella Magi?" Mami nodded uncertainly. It was all still very fuzzy to her, but her memories were slowly coming back._

 _"Good," said Madoka as she began to explain to Mami. "Homura-chan had split my Goddess part from my human part, keeping the Goddess part of me at bay with her amnesia-inducing abilities. She turned into a Demon and re-created the universe with her own laws - one where I would remain as a human..." Madoka sighed, her gold eyes looking sad. "She is trying to prevent me from reverting to my state of higher being. She thinks that I would not know of all this information, but being a Goddess, really, nothing can be kept a secret from me, not even about how I got dethroned... However, she did this without ever thinking about the consequences of taking away a part of the Law of Cycles... Witches and Wraiths have grown in abundance, and I could not do anything about it... Now that Sayaka-chan and Nagisa-chan, my secretaries, have also remembered, I believe it's time we confront Homura-chan and end this pain and suffering."_

 _Mami shook her head vigorously. "Wait...You're a Goddess, Akemi-san's a Demon, Momoe-san and Miki-san are your helpers...What about me?"_

 _"Mami-san, you're always you," replied Madoka with an angelic smile._

 _Mami blinked, surprised. But before she could ask more questions, a winged figure landed on the windowsill, bleeding and bruised in many places. Her yellow eyes widened in fright._

 _"Homura Akemi..."_

000

"Tomoe-san, read the last passage... Tomoe-san? _Tomoe-san_!" rapped out the teacher, slamming his palm onto the table-top. Mami woke up with a jolt, going, "Huh? Wha-!", accompanied by some suppressed giggles from her classmates. She blushed fiercely as her teacher reprimanded her none too gently. "Tomoe-san, no day-dreaming in class. Now, read the last passage. If I catch you napping again, it's off to the headmaster's office you go."

Red-faced, Mami read out the passage, and as she finished it, the school bell rang. She breathed out a sigh of relief. Thankfully, she wouldn't have to endure her classmates' teasing. Everyone put away their textbooks and stood, bowing a thanks to their teacher as he walked out huffily.

 _What was that dream?_ thought Mami to herself, packing her books and pencil case into her satchel. _It seemed too real to be just a dream. I hope I'm not hallucinating for lack of sleep... I must tell Miki-san, Sakura-san and Kaname-san about this dream later when I meet them._

Kirika pinched at the ears of her voodoo doll, humming a song to herself in an attempt to block out yesterday night's events. An involuntary shudder ran up her spine as she recalled Homura's devilish grin.

' _If you ever need a quick death to end your suffering, I'm always here to help.'_

She shuddered again. Grabbing her satchel, she began to walk downstairs to Luna and Estella's classroom. She wanted to see someone, talk to someone, _have some human contact,_ so that she would feel better. Taking the steps two at a time, Kirika reached the classroom just in time to catch the twins. They were rubbing at their eyes sleepily when they noticed their senior standing at the doorway, staring behind them.

Luna yawned before saying, "Oh, Kirika-senpai, sorry we didn't notice you earlier. You could've..." Her words trailed off when she realised that Kirika wasn't listening to her. Looking in the direction of Kirika's gaze, the twins gasped noticeably at the figure of Homura Akemi standing cross-armed behind them. She cocked her head to one side, dull eyes glimmering with faint maliciousness.

"Estella and Luna Queen, Kirika Kure, how pleasant it is to be able to talk to you again," she said. "I shall not tarry with useless speeches. Listen to me now - get away from Madoka Kaname, or I would have to take drastic measures..."

"Akemi-san," said Estella, gritting her teeth, "Do not expect us to listen to your weird commands after what happened yesterday night. We will not obey the likes of you!"

Homura tutted. "Mind your language, you inferior _transfer student_." The Australian girl baulked, speechless.

"Cat got your tongue, Queen-san?" taunted Homura, lifting up Estella's chin and enjoying the look of alarm on her face. Luna smacked away Homura's hand at once, shouting, "Get your dirty hands off'n my sister and go disturb the crows or something!"

The purple eyes of Homura Akemi gleamed in merriment. "Crows? Why would I want to disturb crows when I've got humans to play with? Anyways, back to the point." Her face returned to its normal saturnine expression as she said in a dead-serious voice, "Do not go near Madoka Kaname, or I will personally ensure that you will not survive our next encounter. That is all." Without further delay, she stalked out of the class between the dumbstruck trio, flipping her long, lustrous hair in their faces.

Oriko had just returned home from school that day. She whipped out her cell phone and dialled Kirika's number, listening to the beeping tone impatiently.

" _Oriko_! You wouldn't believe what that _Homura Akemi_ said to us in school today!" screeched Kirika's voice down the receiver. Oriko recoiled immediately, making a screwed-up face.

"Don't shout into the phone, Kirika, it's deafening," said Oriko curtly, walking about in her father's rose garden. "I called just to make sure you were okay, but it seems that you're not... Want to come over to my house and discuss about last night's events properly? Bring along the twins with you if possible."

"Sure, sounds more like an order than an offer, though," shot back Kirika cheekily. Oriko wanted to say something pert in response, but Kirika had already cut the line.

"That girl..."

The first thing that Sayaka did when they met up with Kyoko and Yuma that night was to give her a kick in the backside. Kyoko, who did not suspect anything at all, fell down flat and stubbed her nose, yelling.

"Hah! That's what you get for not coming to school and making us all worried sick!" she said, sticking out her tongue out at a very offended Kyoko. Mami and Yuma gasped, hurrying over to the red-head who was rubbing her rear end painfully. "I'm so gonna pay you back for that one, Sayaka Miki. I didn't go to school because I felt all weird... and because I haven't finished my homework," she grumbled as she allowed herself to be pulled up.

Madoka seated herself on the floor of Mami's living area, enquiring, "So, what is this weird thing that you wanted us to see, Kyoko-chan?"

Still rubbing her hips, she limped over to Madoka and handed her a small black cube about the size of small prune. It glowed softly - pretty yet ill-omened. Mami, Nagisa and Sayaka crowded around Madoka to get a glimpse of the mystery object, and Sayaka let out a long whistle. "Whew, that thing sure looks familiar. Can't quite wrap my mind around it though, sorry."

Mami took the cube from Madoka's hand, feeling its gentle pulse. Her silver ring hummed in resonance, and the yellow inset gemstone began to glow. Kyoko jumped up like a scalded cat and ran to her side, all the pain in her backside forgotten as she grabbed the black object from Mami and stuffed it into her pocket again. The blonde was stunned. "Why did you do that, Sakura-san? I was beginning to feel some sort of feeling, like... _like the one you'd get after killing a Witch or Wraith and using its Grief Seed or Cube to purify our Soul Gems..._ "

The assembled girls went silent. The words 'Witch', 'Wraith', 'Soul Gem', 'Grief Seed' and 'Grief Cube' began to pop up from some deeply-embedded memory reservoir, bringing back images of scenes that were much better off forgotten; of deaths better off unwitnessed.

"Mami-san, I think something's going on here," said Sayaka, scratching her head. "Something very fishy and smelly..."

Nagisa raised her hand into the air, agreeing. "I think someone's tampering with our memory!"

Mami gazed at her ring again, wondering whether to tell her friends about her dream in school. Taking a deep breath, she decided that such an important thing must not be kept a secret. "Guys, I have something to tell you."

All five girls listened intently to Mami's dream description, and when she was finished, Madoka gulped. "I'm a G-G-Goddess? T-that can't be true!"

Sayaka and Nagisa latched themselves onto Madoka, with Sayaka almost screaming, "It's true! You're Madokami, the Bringer of the Laws of Cycles! Homura Akemi, the Demon, has wiped out your memories for who knows what reasons. Nagisa and I are your personal secretaries, we were supposed to remind you of your true identity should you ever forget, but it seems that Homura has foreseen that and interfered with our memories as well..."

Madoka continued to gape like a goldfish. "I don't understand... Why? Why would Homura-chan do such a thing?"

"Because she's the Demon who disrupted the Law of Cycles just to get your Goddess part away from your human part!" said Sayaka, clearly upset. "What other motive does that _witch_ need to dethrone you?"

Tears began to well up in Madoka's eyes, which were now flickering between the colours pink and gold. "But...Homura-chan...Why?" Her eyes finally turned a complete gold colour, and her hair grew longer and longer. Her clothes were slowly glittering and forming into a long white dress, with large, white wings extending behind her back.

Mami, Kyoko and Yuma were sitting dumbly, observing the whole mystifying incident unfolding before them. Their minds were clicking furiously, piecing together all the shards of their broken-up memory as well as their brain-power allowed them to.

 _Puella Magi... Law of the Cycles... Witches and Wraiths... That was the way the world had worked before Homura had taken it all away..._

The door opened quietly, its usual protesting squeak and creak absent. No one noticed the black, winged figure as she came in the room like a shadow from the netherworld.

" _Forget it all._ "

The six girls collapsed into a heap, knocked unconscious by just three simple words. Homura walked to Madoka's side, picking her up as easily as she would to a bag of cotton. She whispered in her ear, smiling crookedly. " _Forget everything you've discussed this night._.." The wings and dress shimmered off of Madoka, replaced with her usual outfit. She opened Mami's window, spreading her wings apart and jumping off the sill with Madoka cradled against her chest; eyes closed; her petite face a peaceful visage.

"I won't allow you to turn back into the Goddess...Not after everything I've done..."

Together, the duo flew off into the dark night, blending into the low hanging clouds and disappearing from sight.

" _...I will keep you with me forever..._ "


	13. Chapter 11 : The Incubator's Will

The humid atmosphere was buzzing with insects of all manners. Swatting a few away with her hand, a green-haired girl trudged through the great sloppy mess on the floor of the alley, taking up the single Grief Seed standing amongst the ruined, churned-up earth. She pressed it against her tainted Soul Gem which was located on her upper left arm, exhaling in relief as the swirls of darkness dissipated and transferred themselves into the Witch's Grief Seed. Watching it return to its normal deep-green lustre, she then reverted to her usual clothes; her weapon, a war-hammer, dissolving rapidly into the air. The Soul Gem returned to her finger, fashioning itself into a silver ring adorned with bestial patterns.

It was early afternoon - not a typical time for Witches to appear. Waving her hand over the uneven earth, she concentrated on rooting her thoughts with the ground below her, willing it to shift and move to her will. It had used to be a much harder task, but now, with lots of practice and determination, it had become like second nature to her. The floor rumbled like a primordial beast, opening up like a cavernous maw and allowing the Witch's remains to fall inwards. Jerking her palm to the left and downwards swiftly, the ground shook once more, closing up and fusing together, leaving no trace of the cracks or fissures that were once there.

"Using your earth manipulating abilities again, Shika Kiyomizu?"

The girl, Shika, whipped her head around to the direction of the voice, her arm falling to her side immediately as she adopted a defensive pose. "Who is it?" she said, her voice quavering. When she noticed who the speaker was, however, she relaxed, saying softly, "Kyubey, don't scare me like that."

A small, white, furry creature akin to a cat appeared from behind a pile of boxes. He padded towards Shika, his face forever carved into a smiling expression. Two round, red eyes looked longingly at the Grief Seed that she was holding onto. "Is it used up already?" he enquired, pointing one of his long ear-extensions towards the Grief Seed.

"Oh, this? Yeah." Holding out the Grief Seed to him, she squatted and observed the cat-like creature as he took the object in his mouth, throwing it into his back and 'devouring' the pitch black Seed with much relish. Shika couldn't help remarking on his eating habits, rubbing his back absent-mindedly as he licked at his paws. "You know, the way you eat is weird. It goes into your backbone. How do you even digest it?"

Kyubey purred, obviously enjoying the attention he was getting. "Oh, I just digest it like how you humans normally do. It's more like a snack, really." He shook his whole body vigorously, dislodging Shika's fingers from his fur and promptly scrambled up to her shoulder, curling around her neck. The girl's forest-green eyes glittered with amusement as the alien cat purred like a machine, begging for some more petting. She giggled, giving him a good, hard rub behind his ears - a place where most cats would find very pleasing.

"Where's Yuki?" asked Kyubey, stretching luxuriously on Shika's shoulder. "Though, I have to say I'm glad she's not here today. She doesn't seem to like me."

She scratched the top of his head, sweeping her gaze across the smooth alley floor. "I didn't want to let her follow me on this Witch hunt. She was hurt from the last one, but since she heals quickly, the injuries she had sustained are quite gone. I just don't want her to risk re-opening those wounds," she said. Standing up, she surveyed the area once again to make sure that no signs of the previous battle were visible. Satisfied with her earth-shifting masterpiece, she walked out of the alley, with Kyubey swiping away at random insects playfully. "And," added Shika, shielding her eyes from the glaring spring sun, "If she doesn't like you, it's your own fault for being such a creepy character."

"I'm not creepy!" he protested.

"You are."

"Fine."

The duo made their way along an almost-empty street. Even though it was spring, there were barely any birdsong - it was just too hot. A cicada, not the least bothered by the heat, chirped noisily on a nearby tree trunk, bathing in the searing rays. The few passers-by that were present flapped at their faces, looking flustered as they sipped at iced drinks to cool down.

Shika never did liked excessively hot weather, especially near the end of spring. All the animals were too lazy and were not bothered to move about, making the already-quiet neighbourhood seem like a ghost town. On the plus side though, it meant that the summer break was coming soon. She continued walking, picking up a large, withered leaf to act as a makeshift umbrella.

"Mind shading me as well?" crooned Kyubey.

"You've got a huge fluffy tail to put over yourself. You don't need a leaf," answered Shika, wondering why the Incubator was so friendly with her today.

"Good idea." He raised his tail over his head to block out the sunlight.

Usually, he was distant and cold, not playful. But since he was being nice, she had to constantly, mentally remind herself to be nice to him as well. Little did she know she didn't have to keep up the act for any much longer.

As they reached a quiet junction, Kyubey leapt off Shika's shoulder and walked next to her. He cocked his head to one side, saying, "Hey, Shika, remember what I told you about Homura Akemi?"

The girl froze in her footsteps.

 _Homura Akemi._

Just hearing her name made her blood curdle. Trying to act as calm as possible, she said off-handedly, "Oh. Her... Of course I remember..."

"Good." Kyubey strutted alongside her as they began walking again, with Kyubey striking up a conversation which Shika did not want to hear at all.

"Do you remember my plans for you and your friend as well? To be able to carry out this scheme, both your cooperation with me and the other Incubators is vital."

Shika looked straight ahead, replying stiffly, "We have never agreed to help you, Incubator. You can go find another Puella Magi to pester and use... Just leave me and Akira alone, we don't want to be part of your preposterous plots."

Kyubey stopped in front of her feet, preventing her from moving forward. He shot her a glance that was not befitting of the innocent face that he wore. "You, Shika Kiyomizu, will listen to my orders. Know that you are the chosen one; it is your inescapable destiny. The number of karmic lines attached to you are abnormally vast, resulting in your prodigious powers."

She had heard this all too many times already. Throwing the leaf on top of Kyubey, she said nervously, "I don't want to listen to any more of this. Please, just leave me alone."

However, the white creature continued in his soft, childish voice, shaking off the leaf and ignoring her. "You are one of the three rare Puella Magi in this world that can harness the elements, as in _literally_ using the elements to your own benefit. Be happy that you are the most powerful one out of the three. Luckily for you, the other two are residing in Kazamino City as well. I don't know why everyone is clustered here, but I guess that's just fate. You very well know who the second one is; the third one is up to you to seek out. And when you've gathered all three, you will lead them into war and end the Demon's reign."

This was too much for Shika. She didn't become a Puella Magi just for some alien cat to lord it over her. "I never agreed to help you, so just go away!" she shouted, fists clenched. Then, realising that she had raised her tone, she looked down at the floor apologetically, blushing.

Kyubey gave a chortle, shaking his head. "Shika, Shika. So demure and kind; never screams or shouts at others; talks to animals like her best friends... In all, a person so excruciatingly normal and reserved, it's a wonder why your karmic destiny is so great. I have yet to find out why..." He began to walk away, tail bobbing high in the air. "Well, lucky me. I've gotten myself the most powerful Puella Magi in existence, after the Demon. And speaking of Demon, I'd better go back before Homura finds out I'm gone and kills me."

Shika remained silent, though inside, she felt the adrenaline coursing through her whole body, making her heart beat faster and faster. She jumped violently when Kyubey suddenly turned his head around and looked at her, saying to her in a completely innocent voice, "Oh, don't forget that in the event of you disobeying me..." An evil light shone in his red eyes. "Well, you know what I'm capable of doing to you." With those last ominous words, he leapt away, melting into the shadows of an alley.

Being a very composed person, Shika forced herself to breathe deeply through her nostrils, counting slowly to ten to soothe her agitation. She didn't feel any better. Huffing angrily as tears threatened to spill from her eyes, she ran towards her small house at the corner of the housing lot, trying to stop herself from crying.

 _Crying won't help in anything. Crying is shameful. Crying is weak._

She swung open the wooden gates and wanted to slam them, but thought the better of it. Closing it normally, she ran to the tiny garden behind her house and there, sitting in an outdoor basket was Yuki, her white Shiba Inu.

" _Yuki!_ " cried out Shika, who was not far from bursting into tears. The large white dog perked up her ears and looked surprised. "What's going o-" Yuki began, but barked out in alarm as Shika threw her arms around her and buried her face in her soft fur.

"Shika, you alright?" whined Yuki, nuzzling her arm with her nose. "What happened?"

Shika hugged Yuki tight, forcing the tears back into her eyes. In a trembly voice, with her face still in her dog's fur, she said quietly, "The Incubator came to me after I killed the Witch. He told me the same things again - that I'm to lead a war against this Homura Akemi Demon thing that I don't even know about. And if I don't listen to him, he'll..." She fell silent, shivering despite the warmth of Yuki's body.

Yuki's ears flattened as she growled, "When I see that dirty cat, I'm gonna chew it to smithereens! It has no right to bully you into obeying it, so just ignore it."

"But, what if he really does it? As in, carry out his threat?" asked Shika, letting go of Yuki and staring fearfully into the Shiba Inu's warm brown eyes.

"Then I'll just eat the mangy cat before it manages to do it."

Shika sighed heavily, leaning against the large white dog. Her fingers unconsciously twirled at her long hair which was always slung over her right shoulder. Yuki cuddled up against her friend, trying to cheer her up. "I'm always by your side, Shika. I'll protect you, even to the death, and you know it."

"That's what worries me," whispered Shika, staring into the mocking blue sky. "I can't lose you, Yuki. If I do, I don't know what will happen to me... I can't lose anyone any more - I've lost too much... And to think I almost lost you too, that day..."

Yuki growled unhappily. "Don't think about such sad things, especially on a hot day. Look at the bright side, I'm healed and still alive, that Witch won't be able to kill any more people, and you've got Akira and all the birds and squirrels and cats and dogs to talk to."

Standing up, Shika kissed Yuki's head lightly, saying with a small smile, "Thanks for trying to cheer me up, Yuki. If you don't mind, I'll go take a bath. It's infernally hot and I've got earth all over me from the Witch battle."

The faithful dog wagged her tail in joy. Nothing beats seeing her mistress being happy again. "Okay, no thinking about tragic things while you're bathing! Promise!"

Shika smiled, a hint of sadness hiding beneath the curved lips."Promise."

The water was blissfully cool. Standing under the shower head and letting the water run over her head and down her body, she tried to keep her mind empty. She knew she shouldn't be bringing back all the horrifying memories, but they insisted on showing themselves.

 _Her parents and elder brother had died from a horrible disease during the summer when she was ten, leaving behind for her an empty house, some money and a white Shiba Inu puppy. Life was very hard then. Not knowing what to do with the money or the house, she often fell prey to unscrupulous salesmen and had to endure the harassment of her landlord. Nobody wanted to adopt her, and the landlord kept her there just to suck off all her money. All throughout this period, her only companion was the white puppy, Yuki, because being painfully quiet and withdrawn, she had no friends in school. She cried bitterly every day, every night, holding onto the puppy, her one and only family, as she sobbed her heart out._

 _Life was unfair. Life was cruel. She was just ten, yet she had to go through so much suffering. Her money was running out, and she still had to feed herself and Yuki. The landlord was getting more and more aggressive, demanding for the rental pay even though he knew she was orphaned. She was quickly falling into depression. By now, her tears had run dry, along with her emotions. She was a walking corpse for all people knew._

 _One day, she just couldn't take it any more. What if she died and turned into a ghost to be reunited with her deceased family members? It sounded like a good plan. She had seen people hanging their necks from pieces of rope to end their lives. She would do that as well. At night after school on a cold winter day, she gave Yuki one last cuddle and braced herself, standing on a stool and getting ready to hang herself when all of a sudden, the puppy barked and jumped into her, knocking her off the stool and preventing her from committing suicide. She then realised how stupid she was and hugged Yuki like as if she would never let go, crying brokenly._

 _'Stop!'_ yelled Shika in her mind, hands pressing hard against the bathroom walls. ' _Stop it! Stop thinking about it!'_ Tears sprang to her eyes again, mingling with the shower water, but she suppressed them. She would never cry again.

 _Crying won't help in anything. Crying is shameful. Crying is weak._

She won't cry.

The Incubator thought she was weak.

She will show him that she can do whatever she wants to.

' _Just you wait, Incubator... I'm not as easy as you think I am...'_


	14. Chapter 12 : Plots

She was back in empty space, back to that place where she had turned into a Demon and taken control of the Incubators. All was dark, not a single star was visible. Not even the Incubator was here, and he was usually omnipresent. She floated around, her long black dress trailing behind her like a stygian waterfall. Alert purple eyes darted to and fro, trying to discern her current bearings.

Had the world fallen back into discord while she was distracted with keeping Madoka safe? Had another Puella Magi risen to power while she was preoccupied with her precious Madoka and recreated the universe? She continued to float onwards, beating her bony raven wings slowly. Fear welled up in her chest - she cannot allow another Puella Magi to become god. Her plans for Madoka would be ruined, for the pink-haired girl would surely remember her godly purpose if such a powerful stimulation were to take place.

She halted, spreading her wings apart to stop the forward momentum. Lately, she had been having recurring nightmares. Always, there would be three strange Puella Magi attacking her; the first on a mounted beast, the second wielding twin swords, the last with claws as huge as a tiger's head. There would be crushing earth around her, trapping her like a helpless deer. This would be followed by icy winds which tore and shredded at her skin, the intense frigidity giving her frostbite. Searing fires then sang in dirge-like wails, burning the ice and melting her to the bone.

The end was always the same for her. She would die - her god-powers and immortality would not save her. She would be dethroned and Madoka would revert to Madokami, shouldering the Grief of all Puella Magi once again. Her work would have been entirely in vain.

She finally halted, her wings hanging limply on her shoulder blades. Her instincts told her that trouble was brewing. Far off in the infinite darkness, she heard the roar of a beast. Her stomach gave a twinge of fear as she realised what it was. She beat her wings quickly, flying headlong into the unknown, away from the beast.

It was the strange trio of Puella Magi! It must be! No other beast sounded like that besides the one mounted by the earth-controller. With a mighty propulsion of her wings, she shot ahead with the speed of a bullet.

The roaring of the beast became louder. Fragments of ice and large fireballs sailed overhead, nearly catching her. Out of nowhere, the beast jumped in front of her, fangs bared, its rider looking at her with impassive green eyes. The other two Puella Magi were now behind her, wraith-like and frowning. She was trapped. The earth-controller pumped her fist into the air, raising a chunk of ethereal rock that smashed into her, breaking every single bone in her body. The ice-summoner sent glacial shurikens to slice her apart, and the fire-singer blasted her with white hot flames, melting her into a puddle. She couldn't do anything to resist the onslaught. She was helpless.

With the last wisps of her consciousness floating away, she saw the earth-controller leaping down from her beast. Her green eyes stared at the puddle that used to be Homura Akemi.

"Your reign is over, Demon. The Goddess of Hope is now ours. It is time to begin a new era."

Homura bolted up, trembling uncontrollably. Her hands were shaking like leaves in a winter storm. Clasping them to her heart, she looked at her body to make sure that it was all just a terrible dream, that she was still in one piece and the three Puella Magi were not real. Panic seized her as she remembered the earth-controller's words. She quickly scrambled up and ran to the opposite side of her room, where she had put Madoka.

Surely, it was just a stupid nightmare and nothing more. Those three must have been a figment of her imagination. Madoka wouldn't be gone. She can't be gone.

Homura stumbled to the bed and swept off the covers. Madoka was still sleeping peacefully, her child-like face serene. Tears of relief flooded into Homura's eyes. Slowly, she covered the bedsheets over Madoka again and went out of the room, closing the door softly. She was still shivering slightly from the shock of the nightmare. This one had seemed all too real.

After she had become the Demon, her apartment room had gone through a considerable amount of makeover. The many depictions and diagrams of Walpurgisnacht were now gone, replaced by live, moving pictures of various places around the world so that she may constantly monitor them. A swirling portal lay hidden behind a door, a portal which enabled her to travel to any place on Earth in just the blink of an eye. The Incubators came and went using that portal, allowing Homura to check and control their movements. Her gears were still hanging from the ceiling, and the large scythe-like pendulum still swung in its slow, lazy arcs. All sorts of time pieces - sand-timers, sun dials, water clocks - were present, scattered around the room to form the shape of a large shield which was once her most trusted weapon. To the human eye though, her room would look like any other normal room, nothing weird, nothing out of the ordinary.

Kyubey walked into Homura's living area surreptitiously, not noticing the Demon who was standing in a dark corner. He almost jumped out of his skin when Homura stepped out, a gun in her hand.

She aimed it at his head, asking coldly, "Where have you been the whole day, Incubator? Sneaking around spreading rumours to Puella Magi while I was busy or asleep?"

The alien cat looked at the pistol warily, jumping up onto a chair and sitting down. He knew the pain of being shot all too well. "You know, Homura Akemi, you shouldn't accuse me of things that you yourself are not sure of. What makes you think I've been spreading rumours to others? What good would it do to me?"

Still keeping the gun level at Kyubey's head, she spat out, "Stop denying it, Incubator! I know you've been up to no good lately, skulking in and out of the room like a guilty thief."

Kyubey's tail twitched irritably. "You have no proof of me being a rumourmonger. I was just going out for a stroll, so stop aiming that gun at my head and let me get back to my home planet. And, why are you so grumpy all of a sudden?" Two red eyes glowered back at her as he said coolly, "Had an earth-shattering, icy, fiery nightmare, Homura Akemi?"

Homura gasped, her hands fumbling with the pistol. How did Kyubey know about her nightmare's details?

"If I find out that you were behind my many horrendous dreams..." began Homura, her finger itching to pull the trigger on the annoying cat, "...I'll see to it that you get a dozen bullets in your head."

Kyubey gave away no sign of shock, still wearing the same jovial expression. It seemed as if his face muscles were stuck in that position. "Again, you accuse me for your nightmares. You just love accusing me of everything. It's just your wild imagination working up after I've told you about the existence of elemental Puella Magi." His ears flattened on his skull, a sure sign of annoyance, yet his face was smiling. "Now, if you don't mind, Homura Akemi, I'll be going home. If you need anything, _which I personally hope you don't_ , just call and I'll be here, most grudgingly."

"Save your sweet words for others," hissed Homura, lowering her gun and allowing the Incubator to get off the chair and strut past her. However, before Kyubey took more than three steps, Homura had caught him by the scruff of his neck, swinging him up to eye level. Kyubey wanted to complain, but she glared at him hostilely, saying in a dangerously low tone, "I know you Incubators are planning something behind my back. You must be worrying over the entropy being used up faster than it is produced, and are wondering why I'm not allowing Puella Magi to remember their duties as Wraith and Witch slayers. Well," she shook him once, violently. "Do not ponder over these questions, Incubator. Let the universe expand and be destroyed as it pleases. Let nature take its own course. Do not interfere in my venture, or I will be very angry. Now, get out of my sight!"

She threw him onto the floor roughly. Still with that sickeningly adorable smile plastered on his face, Kyubey got up and told Homura, "Even if you have taken control of us Incubators, we will never lose sight of our goal. You cannot stop us from doing what we were meant to do, and we are a very tenacious race. See you later, Demon." With that, he scampered quickly into the portal, not very keen on prolonging the unpleasant encounter.

Homura fumed inwardly, flinging the pistol at the portal door after Kyubey had left. Then, afraid that the noise would awaken Madoka, she stole back to the bedroom, opening the door quietly.

Madoka was still asleep, thankfully. Homura sat at the foot of the bed, twiddling with her fingers. She talked to the slumbering girl in subdued murmurs, knowing that she wouldn't be able to listen to her words anyways. "Madoka... You don't know the pain I'm going through to save you from your horrible fate. I can't tell you. I can't tell anyone. I've no one else to turn to... They simply wouldn't understand..." A tear dripped off her nose. "The Incubators are plotting against me, I just know it, and I can't do anything to stop them. And lately, I've been having these horrible nightmares of three Puella Magi killing me. Am I going to die, Madoka...?" She shook her head hard. "No! I'm not afraid of dying, I'm more afraid of leaving you alone when I'm dead, for you will surely become the Goddess once again. What should I do, Madoka? _What should I do?_ "

Knowing that her friend was not likely to wake up from her mind-induced torpor, Homura let herself fall onto the bed next to Madoka, hugging her close. Tears spilled down onto the sheets, dampening them. "I don't want to make enemies. I don't want to be feared or hated. I just want to be accepted and not be treated like an outcast, and you were the only one who loved me for who I am. You taught me to build my own self-esteem, gave me confidence, showed me things that made me grow wiser. You have done so much for me, and what did I do for you in return?" She dipped her head towards her chest, her voice almost breaking with emotion. "I made things hard for you, bullied you into listening to me, forced you to follow my rules... And yet you still forgive me and think of me all the time. You are selfless... So selfless... But how else can I stop you from becoming a Goddess? _How?!_ " Her arms wrapped around Madoka even tighter as she sobbed, her heart-breaking cries bouncing off the room walls hollowly.

Homura remained in that position for around half an hour, holding onto Madoka like how a remora clings to a shark. Feeling decidedly calmer, she flipped onto her back and stared at the dark ceiling with a poker face, her hand clasped in Madoka's. Determination flooded her whole being.

"For you, Madoka, I would do anything..." A wild glint flashed across her eyes. "And now, with all the Puella Magi coming back and threatening to awaken you through broken memories, I'm afraid my subtle tactics of giving them amnesia are no longer going to work." She sat up and walked out of the room, heading for the portal door with unwavering steps.

"It's about time for me to take things to a whole new level!"

Kyubey seated himself on a chair in the research lab, placing a paw on another Incubator's shoulder.

"I'm back, Xyubey, and I'm glad that I'm still in one piece."

Xyubey, a sable-furred Incubator with dark brown mottles looked up from a folder he was studying. His face was unlike Kyubey's, who looked cute and innocent. Instead, it was sly and cunning. Two small fangs gleamed as he said in a deep voice, "You look hassled. The Demon caught you going out to meet with Shika Kiyomizu?"

Kyubey nodded. "Thankfully, she didn't ask too much. She just accused me of spreading rumours and making her have nightmares. I don't think she knows of our plan just yet, and I hope she doesn't find out."

"And Shika? Has she begun the search for the third Puella Magi?" asked Xyubey, flipping the folder shut.

"Oh, her." Kyubey waggled his ears testily. "She's being more difficult than expected. You'd think that a docile person like her would just take orders blindly without resistance, but she is proving herself to be a girl of her own mind. No worries though, I'll soon force her into obeying me. Moving on, any news from your Research Department?"

Xyubey slitted eyes landed on him. "News? It's more than news. Check it out yourself."

He tossed the folder over to Kyubey, who caught it with his ear extensions. Eagerly, he started leafing through the papers, and although his expression didn't show it, he was more than dumbfounded. "What is this supposed to mean, Xyubey? Madoka Kaname isn't supposed to exist?"

Xyubey nodded his dark head. "Affirmative. Looking at past records and studying the history of Earth, there seemed to not be any word or mention of the person known as Madoka Kaname, yet she exists now, sheltered in the home of the Demon which we reluctantly serve."

"I feel like this is deja vu..." muttered Kyubey, handing over the folder to Xyubey. "Why do I feel I've gone through this scene before? This defies the logic of science."

"Search me." Xyubey slid off the chair and went out the lab, whisking his long tail. "I'm going to conduct more research. Look for me in the Upper Library if you need my help." With that, he ran off, sable fur gleaming like oil.

The white Incubator remained on his seat. Madoka Kaname, the anomaly of time and space... He had heard of this before, but from where? He was rudely interrupted in mid-thought. Homura's voice rang in his head like brazen bells, saying curtly, " _Kyubey, I need you to come over now. Quick._ "

Irritated, Kyubey hurried over to the portal which was located in the heart of the Incubators' city. What did she want with him now?

"You want me to do _what_?!" exclaimed Kyubey, clearly shocked, yet still smiling.

"Yes, I'm very sure of it," said Homura. "I know you are more than capable of carrying out my orders."

"I'm fine with the first part, but the second part... What if it goes out of control? How can you be so sure we can control such a monstrosity?" urged Kyubey.

"I've told you the details of how to make it," said the Demon impatiently. "Should it ever run amok, you know what to do."

"I'm still not sure about this, Homura Akemi..." replied Kyubey uncertainly.

"Just do it!" commanded Homura. "You are under my control and must do as I say. Now go!"

The Incubator grumbled, slipping into the portal. "... As you wish, Demon..."

Homura watched him depart, her heart heavy with remorse. It was a desperate plan, and she was loathe to do it, but now that she had given her orders, she must see it to the end.

"I'm sorry, Mami, Kyoko, Sayaka,everyone... And I'm sorry, Madoka, but it's all for your own good."


	15. Chapter 13 : Mitakihara Strike Force

Kirika rushed over to Oriko's house with the twins in tow, all three of them thoroughly freaked out by Homura's death threats. "The sooner we find a way to evade her, the better," said Estella, not keen on meeting the Demon ever again.

"There's a slight problem, though, sis," said Luna. "We're her freakin' classmates!"

"Damn."

Kirika hurried them along, snapping, "Stop talking about the insane devil personified, would ya? Just hearing about her gives me the goosebumps!"

They found Oriko waiting impatiently for them at the gates. She was looking flustered and worried. "What kept you guys so long?" she said, holding onto Kirika's hands immediately. "I've been imagining that Homura Akemi had caught the three of you and... turned you into Witches..."

Kirika snorted. "What? You have a very fertile imagination, my dear Oriko. She wouldn't kill us… just yet."

"Just yet…?" echoed Luna warily.

"No, no, no! No one's getting herself killed by Homura Akemi as long as I say so," said Oriko firmly, ushering her friends into her garden. "Besides, we've got to come up with an action plan now that our very lives are in danger. Which reminds me that we still have that vision of mine to interpret."

The foursome seated themselves on the garden chairs around, the beauty and fragrance of the roses lost upon them as they began their solemn discussion.

"I believe without a doubt, due to my vision that night, that Homura Akemi is one hundred percent evil and should be dealt with immediately," began Oriko in a humourless voice. There was subdued nodding from the three other girls.

Oriko continued. "As such, we need to formulate a plan to ensure our own safety before Homura is taken down. Also, a strategy is needed to get rid of the Demon for good. We would need to exploit her weakness, which is so far, unknown. Anyone have any ideas on how to begin this operation?"

Silence greeted her question. Oriko frowned. "Surely, someone has some sort of idea?"

"Well…" said Luna, tapping her chin pensively, "Maybe we can stalk Homura and find out her weakness."

" _What?_ " cried Kirika, "Stalk the insane devil personified? You must be kidding, it's _she_ who is stalking us. And she doesn't seem to have a weakness."

"There must be one," interjected Estella, "Everybody has a certain weakness."

"It would be vital that we discover her weak point, but for now, I think that is neigh impossible," said Oriko thoughtfully. "What we should be doing now is to kill as many Witches and Wraiths as possible to get a steady supply of Grief Seeds and Grief Cubes, and very possibly, enrol the help of other Puella Magi."

"Other Puella Magi?" enquired Kirika, a brooding look on her normally blithe face. "How do we know who are the Puella Magi in Mitakihara? There are about a few thousand girls out there, we can't just go around knocking on their doors and asking them. Besides, they probably wouldn't even remember that they were magical."

The girls went quiet again. With every suggestion, there was problem that came with it.

"How about we use our magic and locate them? Is it possible?" proposed Estella, poking at her ring. Luna saw her doing that and gave a sudden whoop which made everyone jump.

"We can distinguish them by seeing if they have the rings!" said Luna excitedly. "Only Puella Magi have that special ring runes and mark on their fingers, we just need to be extra observant and look at everyone's fingers."

"And what are the chances of us actually finding a girl with a mark on her finger?" countered Oriko. "Remember, they probably don't know they are Puella Magi due to Homura's laws, and that means that the runes and mark will not be there."

"Oh." Luna dipped her head, sighing. Estella patted her on the back reassuringly. "Don't worry, sis. We'll come up with something, you'll see."

"But I have to say, Estella-san's idea of using magic to locate them might just work," said Oriko sagely. "We've never done it before, but there's always a first time, right? We should try it now."

Kirika got off her seat enthusiastically and raised her arm. "Okay! I volunteer as test subject! Try and find me in your house, Oriko." She ran off inside quickly, her tie flapping in the wind.

Oriko chuckled. Transforming her ring into the Soul Gem form, she closed her eyes and concentrated her thoughts on finding a Puella Magi in Mitakihara. _I want to find a fellow Puella Magi, please show me a fellow Puella Magi, any Puella Magi would do…_ she said in her head, directing her wishes to her silver Soul Gem. It glowed faintly at first, then began to pulse brightly.

"Mikuni-senpai, it's glowing!" said Luna animatedly, almost falling off the seat in excitement.

Oriko snapped open her eyes and saw the luminous pulse her Soul Gem was giving off. Its pattern and rhythm were different from when Witches were nearby. "This might actually work," said Oriko breathlessly, getting all fired up. She turned the Soul Gem towards her house and it glowed even brighter.

"It's reacting! _It's reacting!_ " squealed Luna, grabbing her sister's shoulders. Estella winced. "Calm down, sis…"

Oriko got up and strode inside the kitchen, followed closely by the twins. The Soul Gem blazed up for a second, then dimmed. Oriko was confused. What happened?

Not willing to give just yet, she walked into her living room and faced the Soul Gem in all directions. It pulsed when she pointed it upwards. Luna and Estella poked their heads over their senior's shoulder, with Estella remarking, "I think the Soul Gem's telling us that Kirika-senpai is above us."

"True." Oriko took to the stairs, and the silver light intensified, pulsing erratically. She waved the Soul Gem around, facing it towards all the rooms. When it was trained on her room door, it gave an explosive flash, stunning the three girls, and died down immediately.

"I think that's our cue to open the door," said Oriko, nodding at it. The twins complied, turning the knob and spilling into the room. And true to goodness, there was Kirika, perched on Oriko's bed with her legs drawn up and grinning like raptor.

"It works!" hooted Luna, throwing herself onto her twin. "You are such a genius, Stella!"

Oriko looked pleased. She seated herself next to Kirika and declared, "Seems like Estella-san is quite the brainiac. She has managed to solve one of our problems. Let's just hope that it works on the Puella Magi who haven't remembered their past, but I personally think that it wouldn't be a problem. After all, magic still resides in them, whether they recall it or not." The ash-blonde smiled at Estella, causing the girl to blush and hide behind her twin. "It was just an educated guess, that's all," said Estella, feeling secretly happy.

"With this, we should be able to locate the existing Puella Magi in this city and recruit their help," said Oriko exultantly. "It would be a crucial first step in building up our defences. We will start now; no use in tarrying something as important as this." Oriko quickly assigned the girls to different parts of Mitakihara, telling them to call her if they receive any stimulus from their Soul Gems. They set off, each going in a different direction, fanning out to sweep Mitakihara and find the Puella Magi.

Mami came to first. She sat up with a groan, rubbing her head. All around her, Kyoko, Sayaka, Nagisa and Yuma slowly got up, moaning.

"I feel as if a sledgehammer had rammed into my brains," muttered Kyoko, trying to get rid of the wooziness in her head.

"Yuma feels no better than Kyoko," whinged the little green-haired girl. She crawled to Kyoko and allowed herself to be hugged by her senior.

"Were we… talking about something?" said Mami blearily. "Something about circles and laws and goddesses."

"Whazzat…?" replied Sayaka groggily. "Goddesses?

"Yeah… Pink goddesses and cycling… or something around those lines. Gah! I'm too messed up now!" Kyoko cried out, slapping her forehead.

Nagisa tottered to her feet and plumped herself onto the sofa. "I think we may have been conversing about an anime… Or cheese."

"Anime and cheese? You can't be serious, Nagisa," scoffed Sayaka. "I think it was something more important than that… Were we also talking about stuff like witches and wraiths? Like, ghosts and whatnot?"

"Now that you mention that, I think we were discussing demons as well, and that demons can erase our memories and fly in the sky like ravens," said Kyoko, lifting a finger while looking dazed.

"Was there something about secretaries?" asked Nagisa. "I think something is coming back to me slowly. Something important… like the runes on my ring right now!"

The four girls shook off their addled minds and surrounded Nagisa, gaping at the symbols on her small silver ring. A purplish gem gleamed in the centre, as if telling them ' _Hey, wake up from your stupor, people. You were fooled._ '

Sayaka shook her head vigourously, trying to clear her mind. "Wait, runes? On a silver ring? _Homura the Demon_?! Oh. My. Goddess."

The girls gasped. They remembered their conversation all at once, but weirdly enough, they didn't recall that Madoka Kaname had joined them.

"Homura Akemi is the Demon!" said Sayaka. "She's trying to destroy the world by allowing Witches and Wraiths to run free, unhampered by Puella Magi. We have to stop her!"

"And stop her you will."

The five girls spun around at once, just noticing the tall, stern-looking girl standing at the door. She didn't wait for an invitation and simply walked into the apartment, green eyes flashing with an indecipherable emotion.

"Who are you?" asked Mami, standing up to confront the stranger. She was holding out a silver Soul Gem, which gave a quick intense flare that died down as suddenly as it came.

"You are all Puella Magi… Unbelievable. I've found you all in one go," she said, mostly to herself. Her Soul Gem dissolved into a ring around her finger as she took out a cell phone and began dialling someone.

"Kirika, get the twins over at Mami's apartment. I've just found all the Puella Magi in Mitakihara," she said in a business-like tone.

"Excuse me, but do I know you?" said Mami, hands on hips. This girl was as weird as Homura.

The stranger looked at Mami impassively, saying, "You might not know me, Mami Tomoe, but I know you." Her green eyes landed upon Kyoko and Yuma, and Yuma seemed to shrink deeper into Kyoko's arms. "Yuma Chitose and Kyoko Sakura. It's been a long time," she said.

Mami glanced at the both of them. "You two know her?"

As a response, Kyoko took Yuma off her lap and stalked up to the ash-blonde girl, poking her chest aggressively. "Oriko Mikuni… You dare show your face here after what you've done to Yuma?"

Oriko slapped away Kyoko's hand, eyes narrowing as she said, "That was in the past. It was to get Kyubey to not form a contract with Madoka Kaname so as she does not turn into Kriemhild Gretchen and destroy Earth."

"Madoka isn't even a Puella Magi," snapped Kyoko. "Your words are making no sense to me."

"Of course not," replied Oriko coldly. "You must have forgotten all about it, seeing as Homura Akemi had most obviously interfered with your memory."

"You know Homura Akemi?" asked Sayaka incredulously.

"Yes. That Demon has been giving us problems ever since we've remembered our true Puella Magi selves. I trust that she's giving you hell as well?"

"Oh, yeah, sure she does!" said Sayaka, crossing her arms huffily. "She thinks that we can't remember anything about Puella Magi, Witches and Wraiths, and keeps giving us amnesia. Which is very annoying."

"And very frustrating," added Nagisa.

At that moment, Kirika and the twins appeared at the entrance, panting. They had ran all the way to the apartment after getting the news. At the sight of the Australian girls and the runed rings on their fingers, Sayaka growled and said, "Huh, so the Queens are Puella Magi as well. How unpleasant."

Estella grimaced. "Why do you even hate us, Miki-san? Have we ever done anything wrong to displease you?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. You both knocked Kyoko and I down on day one, totally outsmarted everyone in class, aced yourselves in sports and became the teachers' pets in under seven hours."

Kyoko winced, remembering the encounter. "It was painful, but hell yeah, no one's hurt." They ignored her blatantly.

Luna and Estella blinked. They hadn't expected such an answer. "Well, if it's a case of jealousy, I suggest you release all that now, 'cause we are going to need to work together from now on," said Luna irritably.

"Work together? Who ever said such a thing?" retorted the blue-haired girl, fists balled.

"Woah there!" said Kirika, stepping between the three girls. "I don't know why you guys hate each other, but fighting is not allowed."

"Agreed," said Mami, coming over to step beside her brown-haired schoolmate.

"Don't interfere, Mami-san and Kure-san," snarled Sayaka. "This is between us only."

"Err… Yuma doesn't know what's going on, but please don't fight with each other," said the small girl, cringing.

Oriko glanced at her, grateful for Yuma's timely interruption. "She's right. We need to stop arguing. Our true enemy is the Demon, Homura Akemi. Now, make up with each other. We have lots to discuss."

The three girls sulked and shook hands grudgingly under Oriko's unyielding glare. "Sorry," mumbled Sayaka.

"No need," said Luna and Estella at the same time, trying to keep their faces level.

"Good," said Oriko. "Mami Tomoe, can I bother you with a request?"

Being a good-natured person, and despite having her apartment rudely barged in, Mami nodded, saying, "What is it, Mikuni-san?"

"I need you to turn your apartment into a place for our council of war," said Oriko directly It's close to Mitakihara Middle and Elementary School, so it would be most convenient or everyone if we can meet here every day after school. I have my own means of transport, since I'm from Shirome Middle School."

"Hey, wait. You can't just demand something from Mami like that," said Kyoko, riled.

"No, it's okay, Sakura-san. Really," reassured Mami, smiling. "I'm willing to do anything for the sake of everyone's safety. Akemi-san… friend as she is, she cannot be forgiven for committing such a crime…"

Oriko smiled, satisfied that Mami was willing to listen to her. "Good. It's already late, we will meet here tomorrow right after school and begin our strategy to rid the Demon for good. We will have to do our best if we are to succeed."

"Right," said Kirika, afire. "We'll be known as the Mitakihara Strike Force! Yeah!" She punched her fists forwards, grinning.

"Mitakihara Strike Force?" said Nagisa uneasily. "Are you sure we can… kill Homura-chan that easily?"

"Anything is possible, Nagisa," said Kyoko, ruffling her hair. "I'm kinda glad you showed up after all, Oriko Mikuni. That Homura has freaked me out ever since I laid eyes on her. It'd be great to get rid of her, seeing as she's the cause of all this suffering and mass suicides."

"Don't pretend to be all noble when actually, you just wanna kick her butt," teased Sayaka. Kyoko glared at her. Everyone giggled.

"Well, with that said, the meeting is now adjourned. See you all tomorrow. We will plan our attack, then," said Oriko, leaving the room. Kirika and the twins tailed her, waving goodbye to their newfound comrades.

As the door closed, the five girls got together, with Sayaka saying, "I don't trust that Oriko Mikuni. She looks like the type to exploit people."

"She is," grunted Kyoko.

Mami sighed. "Nothing we can do about it. I heard she's the former politician, Hisaomi Mikuni's daughter. No wonder she exudes such charisma and control…"

"I'm sleepy…" said Yuma suddenly. Nagisa yawned, agreeing with Yuma. "Yes, it's past the normal sleeping time of little children. Can I suggest that we leave and continue this discussion tomorrow?"

Sayaka looked at the wall clock. It was indeed late. "Okay, let's go back… Today was depressing… especially having to know that we are forced to work with the Queens…"

Sayaka, Kyoko and Yuma left Mami and Nagisa after bidding them a goodnight.

They didn't know that Homura had succeeded in scrambling their memory about Madoka, making them forget that she was the Goddess. And they probably wouldn't remember until the day they meet Death.

In the form of Homura Akemi…


	16. Chapter 14 : Friends

Shika stood at the massive gates that lead to the Oda clan's traditional Japanese mansion. Her big Shiba Inu, Yuki, was next to her, panting in the afternoon heat. Luckily, there was no school today as well.

"What are we waiting for, Shika? Just ring the bell already," whined the white dog, nudging Shika's hand.

"I just... I don't know," sighed Shika. "Every time I visit Akira, I get this feeling of inferiority and fear of seeing her stern parents glaring at me, and also of all those butlers and maids pushing me around like trash. Hopefully, her mom and dad are not in today."

Yuki shook herself and grinned wolfishly at the green-haired girl, standing up on her hind legs and jabbing the doorbell with her paw.

 _Diiiing!_

"Yuki!" gasped Shika, pulling her dog away from the doorbell. "Why did you do that?! I'm not even mentally prepared yet!"

"Sheesh. You're just meeting your friend, not some alien monster. You don't need to be mentally prepared." Yuki wagged her tail happily, and her mistress simply buried her face in her hands.

A voice came down the intercom device next to the doorbell. " _Who is it_?" it barked out in quite an unfriendly tone.

Shika jumped and gulped. "Err... I-it's S-Shika Kiyomizu from the R-Red Garden," she stuttered. No matter how many times she had visited this mansion, she still managed to sound like a complete mouse.

" _Shika Kiyomizu? As in Akira-sama's acquaintance and the girl with a white dog_?" enquired the tinny voice.

"Yes, yes I am," gushed Shika, relieved. At least the voice lady made a point to remember her.

" _You may enter, then_." The gates swung inwards smoothly, automated by machinery. At the doorway, a maid tapped her foot impatiently, calling out, "Well, the gates are open, girl. Do you want to come in or not?"

Hastily, Shika hurried inside with Yuki at her heels, pointing her nose in the air excitedly. "Yes! I always like visiting Akira. Her house is full of interesting things to discover and smell!" she barked, stopping to sniff at a dandelion. The seeds came off and she accidentally inhaled them, sneezing loudly. The maid shot Yuki a glare that could melt iron. "Young miss, I suggest that you leave your... _animal_ outside. It'll leave mud all over the floor."

"But...! She's always allowed inside, why not today?" said Shika, disappointed.

"Because we have just swept, mopped and shined the floorboards, that why. Now come on in, and leave the dog outside." The maid didn't look like she was about to take 'no' for an answer, so Shika patted Yuki's head and told her to stay in the garden. The Shiba Inu looked downcast, but was cheered up immediately when she noticed a bunch of fallen peaches under the large weeping peach tree in the centre of the garden. "Peaches! Haha! Enjoy your time with Akira, Shika dear, I'll just busy myself examining the taste of peach..."

"Don't eat the skin and pits!" called out Shika as she was ushered into the mansion quickly. "They'll give you indigestion and the pits are poisonous!"

"Okay!" barked Yuki jovially, rolling a peach with her paw.

The maid looked at Shika like as if she were crazy. "Really, talking to dogs like how you would to humans," she muttered. "Your dog can eat the peaches for all I care. No one in this household likes them anyways." The girl flinched. Why is it that everyone here treats her so rudely?

As Shika was escorted along the long corridors and past the many rooms - living, dining, work, study - she couldn't help gawking at them. Compared to Akira's home, hers looked like a poorly person's house. Which was not far from the truth.

"Here we are, Akira-sama's room. Knock before you enter, her parents are inside," said the maid snappily as she left Shika standing alone.

 _Her parents?_ thought Shika, suddenly feeling incredibly scared. Maybe it was better if she just left and came back another day.

However, there was no need for that. Akira wrenched opened the door while shouting back into the room, "I _do not_ want to get hooked up with him, and _that's final_!" The tall senior girl almost crashed into Shika had her junior not sidestepped at the last minute.

"Shika darling!" exclaimed Akira, shocked. "I'm so, so sorry, I didn't know you were just outside my door. Did I hurt you?" Akira immediately hugged her friend, looking around to see if there were any bruises.

Shika gave an embarassed grin. "No, I'm okay. Arguing with your parents again...?"

" _Akira Oda_ , come back here, we are not done with you yet!" shouted a stern, male voice from inside.

Akira released Shika and pressed a hand to the side of her head in anger. "As you can probably hear, yes, they are still insisting on me marrying that guy from the Ishida clan, but the problem is that I'm totally not interested in boys and I'm only still eighteen. I've got a whole life to lead before being tied down by some idiot man."

"Akira, I'm warning you. Come back now, and _don't you dare_ run off with that destitute girl from the ramshackle Red Garden!" shouted her father again.

Shika flinched again. "Destitute girl...?"

"... Ignore that... Let's get out of here before my parents decide to make an appearance and... throw you out of the house." Akira took Shika's hand and together, they walked away as fast as possible.

"Where's Yuki? I thought you both were inseparable," said Akira, hurrying along the corridors as maids and butlers alike bowed to her.

"Oh... A maid didn't let me take her in because she said Yuki will get mud all over the shined floors..."

"She said _what_ now?" said Akira, almost shouting and halting abruptly. "Which one is it? I'll give her a piece of my mind."

"No, no, please don't!" replied Shika, flustered. "Yuki doesn't mind, and since we're already going out..."

Akira gave Shika a long hard stare. "You're too soft, you know that?"

The green haired girl dipped her head. "I know..."

Once outside, Yuki bounded up happily to the two girls and licked Akira's hand affectionately. "Woof!"

Akira's silver-flecked grey eyes twinkled with merriment. She smiled and petted her head, crooning, "Who's a good girl? Yuki's a good girl, aren't you?"

"Woof! Woof!" Yuki's tail thumped happily on the floor. At that moment, Akira's parents appeared at the doorway, her mother with her hands on her hip and her father with an expression that could kill.

"Akira, don't you dare try and escape with that girl, and get away from the dog, it's an infectious fleabag!" yelled her mother with a death glare.

"Uh oh... We better scram. Like, now," said Akira, grabbing Shika's arm again and making a dash for the open gates. Yuki ran after them, barking insults at Akira's parents that made Shika want to close her ears.

" _Freaking_ _bastards_! How dare you call my mistress a destitute girl? And you called me an _infectious fleabag_? I'll _rip_ your innards, _eat_ your tripes, _gut_ your intestines and _suck_ your brains, you hear that?!" snarled Yuki, fur bristling as she ran with the girls.

"I don't know what your dog said, but I have a feeling it's not good," panted Akira as they finally ran out of sight of the mansion.

Shika shuddered. "No, it's not good. Save your ears, you don't want to know what she said."

Catching their breath, the two girls and the dog made their way to the Kazamino City Centre, intending to go to the park. Cars whizzed by on the busy road as pedestrians hurried along, and even though it wasn't peak hour, there were still plenty of people.

"So, why did you walk all the way to my home today? I told you that if you ever want to see me, I can always drive to your house. Saves you from walking that long distance, and in this heat too," said Akira, concerned. A teenage boy who walked past them suddenly gave a wolf whistle at Akira, winking at her seductively and hurrying away. Akira snorted, glaring at him. " _Boys_. Disgusting creatures who go for looks..."

Shika laughed nervously. "You get that a lot, as in attention from boys... No one wants me though, I'm too plain and quiet..."

"Huh! Believe me, you don't want that sort of attention. Besides... you've always got me," Akira said, then noticing the look on Shika's face, she hurriedly added, "And Yuki. You've got me and Yuki."

Shika smiled, suddenly feeling very shy. "O-oh, yeah. I always have you and Yuki... You guys make me feel tons better."

Another guy passed them and hooted at Akira. The white haired girl shot him a murderous glare and he quickly ran off. Akira sighed. "Its always like this whenever I go out. Boys stare at me like I'm some supermodel and go wolf-whistling all the time... I feel like kicking them in the groin. Hard."

"That's because you do look like a supermodel, Akira," said Shika, sighing.

"Woof! Woof!"

"See, even Yuki agrees."

"Fine, whatever you say, Shika darling," grunted Akira, straightening the ribbon threaded at the base of her head. "Anyways, why did you visit me?"

"Oh, I wanted to discuss something important with you... I-if you don't mind, that is!" said Shika, feeling nervous.

"Shika darling, why do you still act like a mouse around me? We've known each other for eight years."

"Oh. I don't know... It's just that... I don't want to bother you..."

"Bother me? Hah! You never bother me, you're my best friend ever, you know that? It's always fine to vent to me, I'll understand," said Akira kindly, taking Shika's hand as they walked. Shika was surprised at the gesture, but made no move to remove her hand from the clasp.

"So, there's this problem with Kyubey," began Shika. "He keeps coming to find me, and tells me all sorts of creepy stuff..."

"Creepy stuff?" enquired Akira.

"Yeah, like how my karmic destiny is so great even if I'm painfully normal, and that I'm destined to lead a war against a Demon which I don't know about. And he wants me to involve you and another unknown Puella Magi in it. And if I don't listen to him... he'll kill me."

"Shika darling! How come is it that it's only _now_ that you tell me of this crazy problem? How long has he been disturbing you?" said Akira, thoroughly horrified.

"Err... Ever since I became a Puella Magi..."

"That's like freaking eight years ago! Why didn't you tell me?" said Akira, upset.

"I was afraid to burden you..."

" _What_? That's not a reason to keep it a secret!" yelled Akira. Shika recoiled at the exclamation, and Akira immediately regretted shouting at her friend. "I'm so sorry, Shika. I shouldn't have shouted... it's just that I can be blunt at times."

"I know. No need to apologize..." Shika trembled slightly, and Akira squeezed her hand tight. "You can tell me anything, you know. Anything at all - from school to money problems to death threats from Kyubey."

"Woooof!" agreed Yuki, wagging her tail hard. The seventeen-year-old smiled. She had such wonderful friends. "I'll tell you once we're at the park, okay?" said Shika.

"Sure," replied Akira, flashing Shika with one of her rare smiles.

The Kazamino Central Park soon hovered into view. Since it was a hot day, no one was there - the swings were hanging limp, the see-saws were bored and the slides empty. Not a breeze stirred the large, ancient trees that flanked a beautiful lake of lotuses. The many gazebos that were scattered around the picturesque park were devoid of any human beings - an ideal condition for private talks.

The trio walked by the lake, with Yuki scampering off every now and then to check out mushrooms, flowers or small insects. After a while, Akira and Shika took a seat on a bench facing the lake, shaded by a large weeping willow whose leaf fronds tickled the water surface ever so gently. The Shiba Inu ran off to explore the park, barking happily.

"Okay, now we're alone," said Akira. "Tell me everything, and don't leave stuff out just because you're scared to reveal them."

Shika took a deep breath. "Okay. Kyubey always visits me, ever since I contracted with him. He has been telling me that I will be the next Messiah, the one to topple the Demon, Homura Akemi, and become a... goddess."

"What did he say? _Goddess_? Who's Homura Akemi?" interceded Akira, grabbing Shika's hands.

"Err... I'm not sure myself, but Kyubey told me that Homura Akemi is a Demon that aims to destroy the world, and thus must be stopped. He wants me to gather the elemental Puella Magi, which are extremely rare and are all currently in Kazamino City, which is you, me and another unknown girl. And after I've located her, Kyubey will start his... plans to get rid of the Demon."

"Elemental Puella Magi? You mean Puella Magi that can harness the power of the elements?"

"Yes. Like me, I can control earth, and you can summon ice at will. According to Kyubey, I'm the most powerful Puella Magi in existence... after the Demon. But I don't feel powerful at all. I feel... useless." Shika hung her head sadly.

"You're not useless, Shika Kiyomizu!" retorted Akira, giving her friend a fierce hug. Shika was stunned. Akira slowly said in a low voice, "If it hadn't been for you, I would have broken down long ago from the pressure that my parents kept aiming at me. You keep me sane, you cheer me up... you are my one and only best friend," she confessed.

Shika blushed. Akira had never sounded that sincere before. Sure, she had her perks for being blunt with speech and all, but deep down inside, she cared for her junior with all her heart. Shika started to tear up, much to her horror. She couldn't cry, and not while in public with Akira next to her.

"A-Akira... I think I need some time alone..." she choked, stifling her tears.

Akira held her shoulders and looked at her dolefully. "Oh... Okay..." She turned her gaze towards the placid lake, knowing very well that her friend did not like to cry. In fact, she hadn't seen her cry ever since they had met. A sob suddenly escaped Shika's lips, and Akira whipped her head around at once.

"Shika... Are you alright?" she asked, genuinely worried.

The girl shook her head. "No... I'm not alright... I just... I just...!" Tears began to flow down her face. Shika was aghast, she tried to wipe them away, but Akira stopped her.

"It's okay to cry, Shika," said her senior reassuringly while looking at her straight in the eye. "We're only human, we can only take so much grief, and I know that what you've gone through borders the line of hope and despair."

Shika's lips trembled. "I... I can't... Crying is weak, it won't solve anything... It won't help my problems...!" She began crying in earnest then, letting loose eight years of pent-up grief in a torrent of tears.

Akira hugged her close and stroked her head softly, murmuring, "It's alright... It's alright, Shika... Yuki and I are here for you."

"I don't want to die, Akira! Kyubey is going to kill me if I don't follow his orders! He'll c-crush my Soul Gem!" she sobbed brokenly, pressing her head against Akira's chest and wrapping her arms around her tightly. "If I don't do as he says, h-he'll kill you and Yuki as well! I don't want that to happen... N-no... I don't want to lose anyone anymore...!"

She continued to weep in Akira's arms, and Akira just sat there and hugged her, tears threatening to invade her as well. "Cry it all out, Shika... You will feel better, trust me..."

Shika sniffed, choking as she said, "Akira... W-what should I do?"

"For now, just... Hush... Don't think about it. I will listen when you are done crying..."

"T-this is embarrassing... I d-don't cry as a rule... Crying just shows t-that you're weak..."

"Crying is not weak," said Akira firmly. "Everyone cries, men, women, prime ministers, Kings and Queens, they all cry no matter how powerful they may seem. Crying is what makes us human, so never say that crying is weak."

Shika didn't dare raise her head to look at Akira. Her face must be seriously messed up right now. "I haven't cried for eight years..." she whispered, her head still on Akira's chest. She let go of her hug and put her arms against her friend's shoulders. "And I'm sorry for ruining your shirt with my tears..."

Akira couldn't help giggling. "A shirt is replaceable, but a friend is not. Always know that I'm here for you, Shika. You can cry all you want in front of me, I won't judge. I know all the pain you've went through, and all I can do to help is to constantly support you and be there for you when you need me..." Akira brushed aside Shika's bangs and kissed her lightly on the forehead, much to Shika's astonishment. "Feeling better now, kouhai?" smiled Akira.

"Yeah... Thanks... senpai," Shika raised her head and smiled a watery smile, blushing.

Shika finally felt relieved. It was good to just pour out her feelings to someone who understands her. "I'll go wash my face now... And for the record, I'm never crying ever again."

"Haha, we'll see about that, Shika darling," teased Akira, walking with her towards the washroom. Yuki saw them and pranced up with a peach in her mouth. Then she noticed Shika's teary face.

"Shika! What happened?" whined Yuki, dropping the peach. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I've never felt better, Yuki," she said, still with a slight sob in her tone. "I'm just going off to wash my face, that's all."

"Oh, at least you're no longer sad. Then I'm happy for you!" barked the Shiba Inu, grinning.

Akira simply stood by and watched them converse, though she did not understand what Yuki was saying. When Shika had become a Puella Magi, she had wished that she could understand animal speech so as to communicate with her dog, which was, when she was younger, her only friend. She had almost committed suicide, but Yuki had stopped her. Akira, who happened to be out Witch hunting, detected a Witch in Shika's house that was causing her to have suicidal thoughts and quickly eradicated her, saving both Shika and Yuki. It was then that their friendship began. Akira smiled, thinking about it. Fate had a very weird way of bringing two people together, but really, no one can decide fate as much as they want to.

While waiting for Shika, Akira's Soul Gem suddenly flared up, pulsing in the pattern that indicated a Witch was nearby. Her stomach dropped. Why on earth do Witches always pop up at the worst times possible?

She ran into the washroom and was about to tell Shika, but her junior already knew. Her deep-green Soul Gem was pulsing as well.

"Guess the Witch isn't giving me time to recover, nor letting me tell you the whole story of Kyubey's plots, isn't it?" said Shika, turning her Soul Gem around in her fingers.

"Nope. It's being plain rude," said Akira. Then, with a smirk, she said, "Therefore, we shall punish her with all our might! That Witch should know better than to mess with us elemental Puella Magi."

"Woof!" (I can't wait to smash some Witch brains!)

"Haha, I know, Yuki, you're itching to fight as well. Payback for the last time a Witch hurt you, eh?" said Shika, placing her Soul Gem on Yuki's head. A green light enveloped the dog, making Yuki grow larger until she was about the size of a Siberian tiger. Armoured plates ran down her spine, and a visor covered her face. Akira whistled. "Damn, your dog is still cool no matter how many times I've seen her transform."

Yuki snarled, the very picture of a terrifying monster. "Let's get this over with quick!"


	17. Chapter 15 : Elemental's Might

"Shouldn't you have transformed Yuki when we reach the Witch? What if someone sees her?" shouted Akira above the incessant honking and cursing of the people who were stuck in a sudden massive traffic jam. They were riding the large armoured dog together to reach their destination faster, with Akira wrapping her arms around Shika, who was directing her white mount towards the source of the trouble like a seasoned professional. There was a sudden, mysterious road block that looked like a piece of large debris to the human eye, but to Shika and Akira, it was a mound of disfigured, stuffed animal heads warbling a creepy lullaby in French.

"No one will see her, trust me. I've done this a lot of times, even out of Witch battles. They simply think I'm riding a bike," replied Shika, holding onto Yuki's reins and steering her towards the gaping Witch barrier. It was shimmering high above the blockade, over the many irritated traffic polices who were trying to control the angry crowd.

Yuki weaved easily through the throngs of people on the streets, getting nearer and nearer to the Witch barrier. The two Puella Magi glanced upwards, where a massive whirlwind-like black hole was churning out floating animal heads. They were all singing in that eerie off-tune lullaby with their lips closed, blood-shot eyes rolling madly around in all directions.

"I think we should force open the barrier and defeat the Witch quickly. It seems reluctant to appear, yet it's causing mayhem," said Akira, shooting an ice dart at a head that got too close to her. It exploded and showered them with cotton.

"We can't fight with all these people here," said Shika, transforming into her Puella Magi outfit and summoning her long warhammer, gripping it loosely. Her hold on Yuki's reins were released, but she was used to riding her without the need for reins anyways. "I think we should get the people away first."

"And how do you plan on doing that?" asked Akira, transforming as well and shooting yet another stream of ice darts at the unfriendly-looking heads.

"I have my ways..." smirked Shika. With her warhammer held in her right hand, she waved her left one towards the road, extending her fingers then clasping them into a fist and pushing it outwards slowly, causing the tar and nearby buildings to shift and bend to the left - away from the Witch. The motorists and pedestrians didn't seem to realise the change in the road lane nor the moved buildings - they continued honking and walking like nothing ever happened.

Akira was awed. "Shika darling, you never fail to amaze me even though we've been fighting Witches together for eight years. How in freaking ice storms did you move the entire road, and the buildings to boot?"

Her junior grinned. "Let's just say I practiced lots, even when we're not fighting. Anyways, the problem's solved, I'll shift the road back when we're done. Now, let's enter the barrier. _On, Yuki_!" The monstrous Shiba Inu howled a bloodcurdling cry and leapt upwards, right into the black, swirling Witch barrier. Akira, who was not used to riding Yuki, gave a short, surprised scream and latched herself onto Shika as her friend whacked at the invading animal heads with her long warhammer. The barrier opened up at once, then, and enveloped the place in a dream-like landscape. If Shika had not diverted the roads, the people on it would have surely been absorbed into the barrier as well, and that would have caused them even more trouble.

Yuki landed on a soft, quilted floor, yelping and almost sinking deep into the ground had Shika not jerked the reins hastily upwards, causing the dog to jump onto a nearby plush boulder. Her nervous paws kept shifting to avoid herself from being sucked downwards. "Wooof!?" ( _Why is everything so soft!?)_

"I don't know, Yuki. Maybe it's a toy Witch that loves soft things. Its minions are stuffed animal heads after all," said Shika, trying to reassure her.

"From what I understand of Yuki's bark, the battleground is unsuitable due to softness. We should start heading for the centre of the barrier, then. The faster we find the Witch and get rid of her, the better," said Akira, two icy rapiers materialising in her hands. She swished them experimentally to the left and right, taking the tip off of a nearby tree branch that was coiling towards her. "Honed and ice-cold like a winter blizzard," beamed Akira, satisfied that her rapiers were ready and sharp. "Let's go and relieve the Witch of her misery!"

Shika grinned and flicked the reins once, making Yuki leap off the boulder, the dog's armour clinking metallically as she shot off across the padded landscape, snapping at random animal heads while her two riders hacked and slammed at the curling branches of the many scattered toy trees. The plants here seemed to have a life of their own, trying to get a hold on the Puella Magi to avoid them from reaching their Mistress, the Sleeping Witch, Ciel.

They didn't have to run for long much to Yuki's relief, as her paws were constantly sinking into the soft ground. "I feel like I'm running in tar," the Shiba Inu had complained. Within a minute, the trio had reached the centre of the barrier. Besides the sentient trees, Runa, and the seemingly harmless head minions, Remi, there was nothing in the dream landscape that impeded their charge. Before them, the Witch was slumbering within a glass dome on an elevated platform, its minions hovering about and singing lullabies while above them, toy stars, Raquelles, rotated slowly in a circular motion, like the ones you would see hanging above a baby's cot.

Akira peered over Shika's shoulder to get a glimpse of the Witch. "You know, this Witch is quite cute. It looks like a huge teddy bear," she said, slipping off Yuki and landing on the floor. She almost lost balance as her feet sank immediately, and she quickly jabbed her long rapiers into the floor to stabilize herself. "I knew it! The floor's damn soft. How do we fight this Witch if we keep sinking?" exclaimed Akira, staring up at Shika who was looking intensely at the sleeping bear Witch.

"We'll have to try. Although the Witch may look easy to defeat - being asleep and all - but I sense that its going to be a hard battle if we make a wrong move. Come on, let's do this!" Her grip on the warhammer handle tightened and the weapon grew in length and size, almost two metres long.

The trio leapt onto the platform and stood in front of the glass, staring at the Witch's sleeping form. The Remis hissed and tried to knock them off, but Yuki easily slapped them away with her long, armoured tail. "What do we do now? Break the glass?" enquired Shika, wary. "I have a feeling the Witch may wake up if we do..."

"How _else_ do you suppose we fight it if it's stuck in a jar?" said Akira, tapping the smooth surface of the dome with her rapier tip. "That's the only way I can see to get at it. And if it wakes up, well then..." Akira gave a sideways glance at Shika. "It's _party time_ for us, I guess."

"Then, here goes... _nothing_?" squeaked Shika uneasily, readying her weapon. Akira nodded, and Shika shut her eyes as she slammed her heavy warhammer head against the glass. It shattered at once, and Akira quickly summoned up an ice barrier to stop the glass shards from hurting them. They lodged themselves deep within the ice, a fraction away from the Puella Magis' faces.

It was indeed a wrong move. As soon as the glass dome broke, all Witchy hell was set loose. Ciel woke up with immediate effect, and her cute teddy bear face turned into a hideous grizzly's, bloody saliva dripping from her jaws as she thrashed about her shattered dome, trying to catch the Puella Magi while shoving the heavy glass shards off her thick fur.

" _Oh my god_!" screamed Shika as she quickly banked Yuki away from the furry claws of Ciel. "Wrong move, Akira! _Wrong move!_ Jump off the platform, Yuki! _"_ The dog obeyed without question, landing on the soft ground with a grunt.

Ciel smashed the ice barrier easily and tried to get at Akira, but the storm-eyed girl swung her rapiers towards the Witch's paws and managed to nick off one of her sharp claws. However, as soon as it was cut off, the claw grew back again almost instantly. Akira jumped hastily off the platform before the Witch could grab her, a look of utter shock on her face. "OH. MY. FREAKING. GOD! Very wrong move, Shika! And no, I take back what I said about her being cute because she's _not_! _Heads incoming!"_ A whole string of animal heads rushed at them with open mouths, screaming colourful French insults. Akira sent a row of ice shurikens spinning at them, shredding a few into cotton dust while Shika slammed the blunt end of the warhammer at them, smashing them into the soft floor. Filled with bloodrage, Yuki roared and clawed at them like a mad beast.

"Grrr...Wrroaaff! ( _Ciel's coming!_ )" snarled the big dog, baring her fangs at the terrifying Witch. Ciel had managed to get the glass shards off of her and was now trying to jump at the three friends and crush them.

"Split up!" ordered Akira at once, pointing a rapier at Shika. "You and Yuki distract the Witch by running in circles or something while I come up with a plan!"

"Do you _know_ how hard it is for Yuki to run on this _thing_?!" shouted Shika, flicking the reins hard to start her dog running.

"I know! Just trust me!" replied Akira, slashing at the toy trees, Runas, that were beginning to surround her. " _Run_! Make Yuki scream something at the ugly bear so that she chases you! Give me time to think, Ciel is a high-class Witch, she can _regenerate_ and she's _powerful_!"

Yuki did not need any further encouragement. "Gaaarrfg! Roaarrffff!" ( _You great fat bumbling bladder of a Witch, come get me! Hahaha!_ ) Thoroughly insulted by the white dog, Ciel began to cry, hard brick-like tears pouring out of her blood shot eyes as she tumbled over the platform and staggered clumsily towards Shika and Yuki. She tore up a Runa and flung it at them, nearly smashing it into the duo had Yuki not leapt aside after a quick pull on the reins by Shika.

"Watch out, Yuki, she's throwing things at us!" said Shika, ducking as a Remi flew overhead, spinning three-hundred-and-sixty degrees like a miniature tornado. It almost sucked up Shika's warhammer, but the Puella Magi kept a stubborn hold on her weapon.

"I know she's throwing things at us, Shika, I'm not blind! _Aarggh_!" Her dog gave a shocked bark as a Runa popped out of nowhere and entangled her four legs, crashing both rider and mount onto the soft floor. Vines and branches began to entwine the two of them, and Yuki thrashed about wildly like a beached whale, ripping the toy trees and trying to get back up. Shika, whose legs were stuck under her writhing dog, manipulated the soft earth around her and sent up chunks of plush land, compacting them into hard cannon balls and smashing them into the Witch, who was making a frenzied, headlong charge towards them as they were grounded, incapacitated. Ciel did not seem at all bothered, shaking away the bits of earth that clung to her long, unkempt fur. Her crazy eyes bored hard into Shika's, and she gave a stentorian roar, tossing her head upwards to the quilted sky. The stuffed stars that were hanging above Ciel's glass dome from earlier on suddenly went ablaze and detached themselves from the sky, shooting towards the Puella Magi and her steed at an alarming speed. A wicked face was present on each star, looking as if they had come from hell to wreak havoc upon their Mistress's intruders.

"Shit just got real, Shika!" whined Yuki, her large brown eyes widening in horror as the blazing stars closed in on them. " _Do something_ before we both get roasted alive!"

"Oh, _for the sake of love_! Would you guys _stop_ tangling me up? I need to think!" yelled Akira, hacking at the tree branches as more and more Runas surrounded her. "I don't usually use ice magic on Familiars, but you guys are forcing me to!" Feeling very annoyed indeed, she spread both arms apart, rapier tips pointing at the trees, and spun a complete circle in a fluid motion, fragments of sharp ice exploding like a shot gun from her weapon and peppering the trees with holes. With a sharp cry of, " _Demonic Spikes_!", the white Puella Magi completed her spin and stabbed both her rapiers into the earth, sending out a ring-shaped wave of thin icicles that ripped apart the surrounding trees within a five-metre radius, skewering some Remis that were unfortunate enough to be hovering overhead. The surviving toy tree Familiars then decided that it was not a good idea to disturb Akira and instantly sank into the ground.

Breathing heavily, the eighteen-year-old looked around her anxiously, trying to discern Shika and Yuki's location, all the while her mind working furiously so as to think of a possible plan to kill Ciel. So far, she had established that Ciel could regenerate, and that did not bode well for them. All of a sudden, she heard a sonic shockwave from above her and instinctively looked upwards. Her usually impassive eyes were filled with pure terror when she saw about a score of fiery star minions shooting across the quilted sky towards Shika and Yuki who were trapped under a pile of Runas, helpless.

Cursing her stupidity for telling Shika to break the dome, Akira flung her rapiers towards the hail of stars, shouting out a single command word, " _Blizzario_!" The two swords dissolved in mid-air and churned into a large blizzard within five seconds, freezing the entire conflagration of Racquelles and causing them to plummet off-course, smashing large craters into the plush landscape and flattening a number of Runas and Remis.

When she saw what happened to her beloved stars, Ciel went berserk. She momentarily forgot about Shika and Yuki, snarling as she blundered towards Akira with outstretched claws. Shika took the opening to summon up earthy spears to sever the branches and vines, and the duo got up immediately, running after Ciel.

" _Tar_! I'm running in _goddamn_ tar!" screeched Yuki, trying her best to keep up with the crazy Witch.

"Stop cursing, Yuki, and _just run_! Akira's in trouble!" said Shika, urging on the white dog as best as she could. "I know it's hard, but _please_ , run for all you're worth!"

"Okay, I'm running! I'm running as fast as I can! Hang on tight, Shika!"

Akira hastily conjured up a katana with her ice magic to replace her lost rapiers, slashing the air from left to right and creating a disc of sharp-edged crystal water that zoomed towards the Witch. It went cleanly through the abdomen of the Witch and dissolved, successfully chopping Ciel in half. However, before Akira could even register the fact that she could have possibly killed the Grizzly, red threads squirmed out from both the upper and lower part of the cut-up Witch, re-joining the two halves perfectly as Ciel continued her charge like as if she was never hurt at all.

"What is _wrong_ with this Witch?!" shrieked Akira as she sent a volley of ice shurikens at the Witch. They buried themselves in the flesh of Ciel, but only remained inside for a second or so before they rebounded and flew back outwards at Akira. " _Shoot_!" she exclaimed, creating a barrier to stop her own projectiles from killing her. "Are you _invincible_ or something?!"

Ciel, further maddened by the shurikens, ripped up an entire hill with her monster strength and flung it at Akira, hoping to flatten the annoying Puella Magi. Akira knew then that no ice barrier of hers would ever stop that huge chunk of land, and that she could never escape in time.

" _Shika, I love you! Kill the Witch for me cause I'm gonna die_!" she screamed, reinforcing her barrier with multiple layers of ice anyways.

"The only one dying today is Ciel, not us, Akira!" came Shika"s voice from somewhere behind the Witch. " _And I love you too if we fail_!" she yelled, as Yuki gave a mighty leap and landed in front of the ice barrier, hackles raised and snarling. The hill came within three metres of crushing them, and Shika immediately sent up a tower of flat-headed earth in front of her, spiraling upwards and smashing it into the hill, stopping its descent effectively. The green Puella Magi added an extra surge of power into her earth attack, pushing it further and crashing the whole weight of land onto the Witch, flattening her. For a moment, as the dust settled, all was silent. The Remis and Runas seemed shocked that their Mistress had disappeared, and had shut up. Shika panted slightly, looking back at Akira, whose mouth was hanging open in awe.

"Shika darling, I never knew you had that much power within you. If you hadn't come in time, I would've... _died_ ," said Akira dryly, lowering her barrier so that she could meet up with her friend. Shika gave a shy smile as Akira stood next to her, replying, "We're all fine, and that's the most important thing now. But there's one thing that's bothering me now - shouldn't this Witch barrier be disappearing if Ciel is... You know, dead...?"

A tingle of nerves ran up Akira's spine as she remembered that Ciel was actually quite indestructible. "There's this thing you should know about this Witch - she's _literally invincible_ \- I cut her in half and studded her with shurikens, yet she's still not dead. Most Witches would have died straightaway..." Shika gave a gasp as Akira continued in an uneasy voice, "And thus, I think Ciel is still alive... _under that ton of earth_ ," said Akira, switching her long katana back into her preferred weapon, the twin rapiers, just in case her theory was correct.

"Woooarrf!" ( _The pile of earth is moving_!) barked Yuki, her whole body stiffening. At once, Shika and Akira whipped their heads around to where Ciel had been buried, weapons readied. A low baritone growl sounded from beneath the earth as the Witch slowly lifted the whole lot of earth clear off the ground, inch by inch.

" _Holy shiz_! She _is_ still alive!" Akira tried shooting a large ice lance at the Witch to topple her balance and re-crush her, but Ciel ignored the sharp object that was embedded in her forehead. "You see what I mean?" said Akira, rattled, as she dodged the rebounded lance from Ciel's forehead. "She's _invincible_!"

Shika gulped as the Grizzly roared and lifted the hill further upwards, saying, "I hope during that time where the Witch was chasing us around, you've come up with a plan to get rid of her for good?" At the same time, the green Puella Magi concentrated her thoughts on pushing the earth back down upon Ciel, but the Witch seemed more than capable of going against a few thousand units of pressure. The two enemies fought for control over the earth - one trying to push it upwards, the other trying to force it back downwards. Sweat ran down Shika's forehead as she struggled to keep the Witch subdued. "Akira, this isn't good, Ciel's really strong and she's managing to overpower me! Hurry up!"

Her senior made agitated hand movements and finally jabbed her rapiers into the ground in frustration. "Don't fluster me, Shika! I didn't know then that she'd be invincible! Honestly, I -" Akira suddenly stopped herself in mid-sentence, the light of realization dawning in her eyes. Shika noticed the change in look of Akira's face and said, "What is it? Have you thought of something? Please tell me you've thought of something, because this Grizzly is about to be set loose!" As if to prove the point, Ciel surged upwards with an ear-splitting roar, lifting the earth another few metres into the air, causing Shika to flinch from the sudden movement.

"I had a brainwave," said Akira hurriedly. "Ciel was sleeping in a dome, and only woke and gave us hell when we smashed it. So what if we trap her in a dome once again - an _elemental_ one? Will she go back to sleep? _I think so_. And once she's sleeping, we can think of a way to get rid of her for good."

Shika grunted as Ciel pushed even harder against her. "Any plan now is a good plan, so we'd better get down to it quick before she gets that hill off of her!" Yuki barked in agreement, getting all jumpy due to her rider's strain.

"Okay, here's the plan," said Akira, giving occasional worried glances at the enraged Witch and her wincing friend. "Listen carefully if we are to succeed. Once I give you the signal, you release your hold on Ciel and encircle her in a trap of earthen spikes. Make sure that she can't get through that first barrier, and I know you're an expert in making impenetrable barriers, unlike me. Next, I will conjure a large, ice dome around her, similar to what her original dome looked like. Hopefully, that will send her back to sleep."

"And what if she doesn't?" groaned Shika as Ciel pushed even harder. She grimaced as Ciel stood straight up, her grizzly muscles trembling with the exertion of fighting against the Puella Magi.

"Just hope that she does for our own sake!"

"Okay, I trust you, Akira! Just tell me and I'll release her, but seeing my condition now, I won't be able to hold her for any much longer!"

"Wrooarrff! Grrrr...!" ( _She's coming out! Akira, do something_!)

Ciel had managed to lift the earth above her hideous head, crying out in anger as she tried to toss it aside, but Shika forced it back over her. "Do I let go of it _now_ , Akira?! I can't keep this up forever!"

"Okay! Just let go, _now_!" yelled Akira as she launched herself into the air using a jet of blizzard-like air from her hands. Shika released her mental hold on the earth tower and immediately summoned a ring of spikes, swinging her warhammer in a circle above her head multiple times, each spin contributing to a new row of ring-formation spikes. Ciel, glad that the hill was finally off her back, was now confused with this new threat. She tried to smash the spikes with her heavy claws, but it soon proved to be a very hard thing to do indeed, since Shika was quite the master at making super-reinforced shields. Maddened, Ciel went into another bout of frenzy, failing to notice Akira who was now perching on one of the tall spikes.

"Good night to you, Ciel! _For good_!" yelled Akira as she threw her rapiers towards the Witch. The weapons dissolved into a flurry of ice again, but now, instead of turning into a blizzard, they swirled around Ciel and crystallized, forming a solid, diamond-like dome over her. She screamed and wailed inside, pounding at the walls with her shaggy paws. With each hit, a new crack appeared on the ice. Akira's ice barriers were never a match for strength-dominated Witches.

"Shika, push your spikes inwards and upwards and surround the vessel to help reinforce it. I'm afraid my ice dome may not be strong enough. We must wait and see if she falls asleep," commanded Akira as she leapt off the spike she was standing on and rejoined her two comrades. Shika did as Akira instructed, securing the trap and entombing Ciel. The sound of battering and screaming was heard for a few more seconds, then subsided to a mild slapping noise, and finally, no more noise was heard.

After a tense moment of silence, Shika said softly, "Do you think she's asleep?"

"Woooof!" ( _I can hear a gentle snoring from inside_.)

Akira raised her eyebrows. "What did Yuki say?"

As usual, Shika translated her dog's speech to her senior. "She said she hears a gentle snoring from the inside... Therefore, Ciel must be asleep. What now?"

" _Yes_...!" said Akira, balling her fists in triumph. "I knew it! Okay, now this is the next step. We spike our elemental barriers inwards to impale her. Thus, we are not breaking any dome of hers, so she should be killed in her sleep. Sound like a good plan?"

"A very good plan, if you ask me," said Shika, smirking. "I wouldn't want to face that monster ever again... Let's finish this now, our Soul Limit is almost reached, considering all that magic that we used just to fight Ciel."

Without further ado, the two Puella Magi did as Akira said - they spiked their elemental barriers inwards, filling the Witch with skewers of ice and earth, killing her immediately. Slowly, Ciel's barrier dissipated, and the trio found themselves standing on compact ground once again. A few metres away, the road block had cleared up, and the motorists were no longer honking and cursing. All was normal again.

Shika pulled back the road and the buildings back into their original positions, and finally allowed herself a moment of respite. Yuki panted as she padded over to the small Grief Seed and picked it up with her large teeth, dropping it into the palm of Akira.

"Thanks, Yuki," beamed the white-haired girl. She reverted to her normal clothes as Shika slid off Yuki and followed suit, then they shared the Grief Seed between them. It only managed to absorb half of the taint, though, much to their disappointment.

"Really? That's it?" said Akira in disbelief. "I'd thought that such a high-class Witch would give a much better Grief Seed than this useless thing..."

Yuki shrank back to her normal size and nudged Shika's hand, growling affectionately. "At least we're all alive, that's what I like to say!" Her mistress laughed, patting the big dog's head. "Yeah, so true, Yuki. Being able to come out of that battle alive was the best thing ever to happen today."

Akira smiled. "Yuki, you are one great dog. You deserve a big joint of meat for always helping us out unconditionally in Witch battles. I'll buy one for you right now at the butcher's."

The Shiba Inu wagged her tail happily. "Wooof! Woof!" ( _You're a real star, Akira! I love you!)_ But before they could make another move, who should appear but the Incubator himself.

Kyubey sidled up to Shika and Akira, staying well away from Yuki who was now snarling most menacingly at the white alien cat. "That was some display of might back there at the Witch battle. I should tell you that it was actually a _set-up_ by me and my fellow Incubators to gauge your strengths and weaknesses. Performance results against this Regenerable Witch - _perfect_!" There was much jaw-dropping at Kyubey's statement that it was just a staged test, and Akira looked like she was about to protest, but Kyubey was faster in continuing with his speech. "I am now one-hundred percent sure that you, Shika Kiyomizu, are the next Messiah, the next Goddess," he said purring. Then, noticing Shika's bewildered senior for the first time, he added, "Oh, and hello there, Akira Oda. I believe Shika has told you everything that needs to be told, so I shall now take my leave." He quickly jumped out of the way before Yuki could maul him, calling back, "Remember my orders, Shika - find the third Puella Magi, and then our plans to get rid of Homura Akemi will be flawless. Disobey me, and you know the consequences." With that, he slinked into the shadows and was lost from sight.

" _What the_ -?" exclaimed Akira, thoroughly surprised at the Incubator's sudden visit. "I haven't seen that accursed furball for nearly nine years now, and he suddenly makes an appearance and said this was all some _freaking test_?!" She grabbed Shika's hands, worry etched on her face. "Oh god, Shika darling, you should've told me this problem earlier... I could've done something to help."

Shika looked downcast. "I'm so sorry, Akira... I had dragged you into this big mess," she whispered. "Kyubey was just testing me...with a Witch that they had _made_... How could I be so stupid to think that he'll leave me alone?"

"It's not your fault, okay?" said Akira firmly. "We'll solve this together. We'll get through this, no worries..."

"Okay..."

Nothing else was said after that, but one thing was evident - the trio would never let themselves be bossed over by a puny cat. Kyubey was up to no good; they knew it and they were not about to join in on his absurd plans.

If the Incubators continued their harassment, they would have no choice but to retaliate... And to retaliate _hard_.


	18. Chapter 16 : Dangerous Illusions

As the Puella Magi gasped agonizingly for breath, Homura Akemi cruelly pressed harder and harder upon the girl's chest with her heeled shoes, pushing her into the soft ground. A thin smile spread on the Demon's lips as the delicate skin of the Puella Magi burst, drawing blood.

"Yes... grovel in despair," crooned Homura. "Your human life is about to end, but don't worry. Your _Witch_ self will be immortalized along with many others. Think of it as a way of... _you_ repaying _me_ for not killing you off earlier."

The Puella Magi whimpered, trying to reach for her weapon, a lance, which was just a finger-breadth away. Her face contorted into a horrible grimace and her fingers withdrew into a tight knot of pain as Homura increased the pressure, her heel digging deeper into the flesh.

Black swirls began to fill up the Puella Magi's Soul Gem, which was a hexagonal jewel attached on the top of her right hand. Pain and despair began to swallow up her entire being as she struggled to fight the horrible feeling.

Her eyes glazed over as the seconds passed by, fingers still feebly moving about like tentacles looking for its prey.

 _If only I could get my weapon._..

The Soul Gem was half-tainted, emitting black sparks. Her breaths were fast and shallow.

 _If only I could retaliate..._

It was three-quarters corrupted now, swirling like a black tornado. Homura's grin widened in anticipation.

 _If only I didn't sign a contract in the first place... I wouldn't be dying right now..._

With a raw, piercing scream, the girl's body convulsed once, twice, as the Soul Gem on her hand cracked and erupted, turning into a pitch-black Grief Seed. Before it could hatch though, Homura quickly grabbed it and thrust it into her Dark Orb, which was hovering next to her, merging the two objects. Looking down at the dead Puella Magi, who had reverted to her normal look, Homura simply snapped her fingers once, calling upon her stuffed bird minions, Liese. The death birds poured out of a portal that had appeared above Homura and circled on the thermals, squawking.

"Finish her off like the rest," said Homura, waving her hand carelessly at the corpse as she turned to leave. "Meet me in China next; there are a few girls there whose Witches can be put to good use." With a shimmer of black clouds, Homura disappeared. The Lieses fell upon the girl's body like savages, ripping and tearing her apart, eating her flesh and breaking her bones, and in just one minute, the corpse was completely gone. The birds took off into the air like a black plague and re-entered the portal from which they came from, leaving behind no evidence that murder had just taken place there.

And indeed, no one would ever think that an innocent girl had just been murdered by the Demon, because Homura Akemi had made sure to get rid of her friends and family as well.

The more tragedy and despair, the stronger the Witch that was created; exactly what Homura Akemi wanted.

The Incubators rushed around the lab, carrying tools and graphs and data sheets. They were in an uproar.

In the middle of the vast lab was a floating sphere the size of a football stadium. Various tubes and wiring ran from the bottom of the glass and connected up with a complex-looking piece of machinery. Suspended in liquid within the rock crystal globe was a hideous, misshapen form curled into a fetal position. It had no face, just a body and seven wrangled limbs which it coiled around itself. Bubbles escaped from its pulsing core, like as if it were breathing. Everything would have been fine if the monster within had not suddenly decided to wake up and flail about madly, hitting the inside of the sphere and cracking it considerably.

"Where's Vyubey?! Someone get him here right now!" cried out Kyubey in a panic. All around him, other Incubators were trying to suppress the monster's efforts to get out.

Xyubey hissed next to him as he frantically jabbed some buttons on the controller screen. "The Technician is currently busy tending to the finishing touches of the fake city - we would have to settle this ourselves!"

Kyubey cursed. Leaping onto a chair next to Xyubey, he placed his paw on a lever and pushed down hard before the sable-furred Incubator could stop him. A deafening bang sounded from within the sphere and the creature within gave a loud shriek and went limp. The Incubators gasped and pointed, then glared at Kyubey. Dissatisfied voices could be heard.

"How dare he activate that switch? It's only to be used in major emergencies!"

"He could've cost us our lives! If the Demon finds out..."

"Are you idiotic or just plain stupid, Kyubey?!"

"Kyubey! Are you _mad_ , activating that switch?!" snarled Xyubey, his fangs bared as he knocked Kyubey off the chair. "All our hard work could be wasted!" The other Incubators dropped to silence at the furious roar of their Head Researcher.

"I would rather have it wasted than have our whole city flattened because of some Demon's irrational wish!" snapped back the white-and-pink Incubator as he got up and looked at the creature in the sphere. By pushing the lever, he had sent a powerful shock wave into its body, rendering it senseless.

"The shock wave could have killed it! It's still in its early stages! What were you _thinking_?!" yelled Xyubey, shaking Kyubey hard with his ear extensions. "Homura Akemi would _kill us_ if it died!"

"I cannot care less what that Demon does to us now - we are doomed anyways if Shika Kiyomizu decides to go against us!" retorted Kyubey, prodding his fellow Incubator in the chest. "And that is why _you_ , as Head Researcher, must persu-"

At that moment, Homura strode calmly into the lab, tossing her Dark Orb at Kyubey who caught it out of reflex. She gave both Incubators, who had fallen deathly quiet, a sideways glance, enquiring in a slow voice, "Anything the matter, Xyubey? I heard raised voices."

Xyubey gulped, releasing Kyubey, and said, "Oh, nothing's wrong. I was just telling Kyubey what to do in the event of the Witch ever escaping..."

This was obviously the wrong thing to say. Homura's purple eyes narrowed as she grabbed the two hapless Incubators by the scruffs of their necks.

"And tell me then... has the Witch ever attempted to escape?" she asked, noticing the fine web of cracks on the sphere in front of her.

"Well... Err... We cannot deny that fact-"

"So she did try to break out..." said Homura, dropping them in disgust, "I trust you two to make sure she doesn't try it again, or else..." She paused, letting her sentence sink in and enjoying the nervous twitching of the Incubator's ears. Nodding at the Dark Orb in Kyubey's paws, she commanded them, "Go add in the new Witches. I'll be here, waiting."

They nodded vigorously and scampered back to the control panel, depositing Homura's Dark Orb into a large machine. It lit up with a green light, glowing tentacles reaching out to clasp the object. They swarmed over the Demon's Soul Gem, small tendrils boring into the surface of the Orb and extracting the Grief Seeds within it. One by one, five black eggs were pulled out of their temporary casing. They looked ready to hatch, quivering violently.

Xyubey snatched them up immediately and hurried over to the complex machine which was hooked up to the sphere. He threw all five Grief Seeds into a small opening by the side of the contraption, and there was a loud sizzle followed by a puff of green smoke. The Witch within gave a jerk, as if coming back to life, and reached out with its mangled claws to grasp at the incoming Grief Seeds. No sound issued from its toothed maw as it swallowed the eggs greedily, the form of each damned Witch showing for a few moments before being absorbed into the massive monster.

With each new Witch added to its significant bulk, the Fusion Witch grew exponentially in size. Homura held her breath apprehensively as the last Grief Seed was taken in, hoping that this would be the concluding piece in awakening the abomination.

Her hopes were dashed. The final Grief Seed disappeared down its gullet without any visible effect apart from the monstrosity growing to the size of a five-storey building. The sphere expanded as well to accommodate the new volume of the Witch, causing some Incubators to scatter to make way for it.

Homura heaved a sigh of exasperation. Here, she had thought that murdering fifty Puella Magi would be enough to create the ultimate Witch, complete with an identity, but something was preventing the Fusion Witch from Actualising. She turned to Xyubey, a cold glint in her eyes.

"Xyubey," she snapped, causing the sable-furred cat to flinch, "you said that fifty Grief Seeds would be enough to make a Witch that is way more powerful than Walpurginacht, but all I see before me is a malformed lump of _nothing_! Please explain to me what happened!"

Xyubey cowered under Homura's piercing glare, replying hastily, "I don't know, Demon! It was supposed to Actualise as the fiftieth Witch was added to it, but there was a glitch. I still cannot fully comprehend what happened, but rest assu-"

"Save your explanations for someone else," growled Homura, turning her back on Xyubey. "You will find a way to make this Fusion Witch, and you will make sure that it comes about fast! Now... bring me to the fake city," she said, staring pointedly at Kyubey.

Kyubey hurriedly led her away from the researchers and headed down a long, winding staircase that seemed to go right into the heart of the planet. As they moved down, Homura asked the white Incubator, "Kyubey, you must know why the Witch did not Actualise. Do we need... _more_ Grief Seeds?" There was a hint of unease in her voice as she said that.

"I am not really sure myself, Homura Akemi, but I can tell you this - the more Witches you add to a single entity, the more chaotic it will become," replied Kyubey carefully. "It is possibly fighting itself; the many Witches within it are trying to gain dominance over the others, and since all are equally strong, there is no resolution. Hence, we get nothing more than a useless mass of black matter bursting with wasted potential." From above him, he could hear Homura give a long sigh.

"Then... It will never Actualise unless I get a Witch that is high above the league of the others... Which is impossible."

"You can say so, Demon. It would most definitely be hard to obtain a powerful Witch that can dominate fifty others." And under his breath, he muttered to himself, " _And that is why you must never find out about Shika or Akira..._ "

The duo continued their descent in silence. Kyubey's statement had left Homura in a lot of worry. _What if she had killed all those innocent girls for nothing? And, where was she going to find such a formidable Witch? It seems she may have to abandon this plan..._

"We're here," declared Kyubey, stopping abruptly at the foot of the stairs. Homura almost trod on his tail; she was so lost in her own thoughts.

One would imagine that the chamber holding a fake city would be huge, even larger than the research lab with the Fusion Witch in it, but it was surprisingly small and cramped. However, Homura was no stranger to the diminutive size. She had been here on countless occasions.

The tiny, triangular chamber was no bigger than an elephant, housing only a single control board on the one wall, with the other two shimmering distinctly with the landscape of Mitakihari, and one Incubator, Vyubey the Technician-Artist-Architect. The grey-furred alien cat was busy talking to someone via telepathy. He noticed Kyubey and Homura at the entrance, and held up a paw to tell them to hang on.

"And vot about ze vater zyztem? Iz zat all right?" he asked, his paw hovering over a blue button. "No? Looks like ve 'ave to use zis button then..." He looked ready to press the switch, then paused, as if receiving another message. "Vait? Vot? T'iz okay? Ah, bién, bién!"

Satisfied, Vyubey then turned his attention on them. He resembled Kyubey in almost all aspects, except that he was grey and had dark blue markings on his face instead. Also, what set him apart from most of the other normal Incubators was his accent.

"So, come 'ere to check on ze city, eh? T'iz almost done, ve jus' 'ave to zimulate ze weather and voíla!" he said, spreading his paws apart dramatically.

Kyubey sighed. "Drop the drama and let us in, Vyubey." To reinforce the point, Homura took a step towards the flickering walls, saying coldly, "I am sure you could have saved that information for your colleagues. I am only interested in seeing the end result."

"Ah, o' course..." Vyubey grimaced. Nobody seemed to appreciate his hard work and flair. Sulkily, he activated a switch and motioned for them to jump through the portal, which they did promptly without hesitation.

"Demonz and Contractorz... No capacity for ze beauty of art..." he grumbled, going in after them.

Vyubey was an expert. Even Homura could not tell the difference between the real Mitakihara and this fake one. Every tree, building and river was in their exact spots, reflecting the outside world most perfectly. Solid, touchable humans walked the busy streets, with birds soaring overhead in the crystal blue skies. Cars filled the roads as they would in Mitakihara.

It was foolproof. Madoka would never be able to guess that she was in a fake Mitakihara City.

"You like it?" asked Vyubey anxiously, skittering around Homura's heels. "Ve vorked very 'ard to make it as close to reality as pozzible."

Homura nodded slowly, heading for the spot where her apartment was. _These Incubators... They have amazing talent and skill._

"Are you one-hundred percent sure it's done?" queried Homura, "I don't want anything to go wrong once I put Madoka inside."

Though Vyubey's rigid face never showed it, he was obviously pleased that Homura had no scathing remarks for him today. "Oh, yes, t'iz done alright. It can even function on its own vi'zout supervision or external control. All ze functions are input into ze motherboard - saves us lots o' trouble."

"Very good..." Homura walked into her 'apartment', marveling at the Incubator's intricate work. It looked just like her own room. A long haired figure was sitting in the shadows of a tall grandfather clock, and Homura almost fell over from shock when she realised that she was looking at herself.

The other Homura glanced at the Demon, looked mildly surprised, then said, "We finally meet, Homura. Vyubey has explained everything to me, and as I was made from a strand of your hair, I am basically a complete copy of yourself. Call me Kaen, so as to avoid confusion. Madoka will still call me Homura though."

Seeing the stunned look on Homura's face, she continued with a smirk, "I would never have expected myself to be at a loss for words at seeing my mirror image, but then again, there's a first for everything. Anyways..." Kaen got up, flipped her hair in the same, eerie way that Homura always did and stood in front of her actual persona. "We are both after the same goal of keeping Madoka safe and preventing her from awakening. I can affirm you that she will be safe under my care. No one will get her as long as I'm here, okay?" Homura could only nod dumbly. Somehow, the whole prospect of talking to a person who looked and behaved completely like her threw her off her normal balance.

"S-sure. I shall...leave it in my- YOUR, capable hands then," Homura quickly corrected herself. "Argh, this is confusing."

"Indeed t'iz," agreed Vyubey. "And don't mean to make things more confuzing, but I also made a fake Madoka Kaname. She will be replacing ze real one in the ze real city."

As if on cue, fake-Madoka came bounding out of one of the rooms and launched herself onto Homura, squealing, "Homura-chan! C'mon, you said we'll go out together today!" The Demon blinked a few times. "Did I?"

Kaen snorted. "Yes, you did. Or more precisely put, _I_ did."

Homura was now utterly confused. Madoka did not seem to realise that there were two identical people in the room, flanked by alien cats.

"We shall have to turn Madoka off for a while as we make an exchange," explained Vyubey, clapping his paws once. Fake-Madoka slumped to the floor, seemingly dead. Then, with another clap, he summoned up a portal and leapt through it together with Kyubey, dragging fake-Madoka with them.

"I'm guessing that you have a lot of questions?" said Kaen impassively.

"You know me too well... I mean-! I know _myself_ too well- Gaaah!" Homura exhaled exasperatedly. "Oh seriously, this is giving me a headache."

"You'll get over it soon. Besides, you won't be seeing much of me. I'll be here, and you'll be out there, taking care of the rest of the interfering Puella Magi," she jerked a thumb upwards, indicating the upper, real world. "And to answer your questions-"

"Wait, I haven't even asked them!" sputtered Homura.

"I already know what you're gonna ask."

"Oh. Okay..."

"So, on to your first question..." said Kaen in the matter-of-fact voice that Homura always used when explaining things to others, "All the living beings you see in this simulated city were made from a piece of their original bodies. Be it a hair, a piece of fingernail, skin flakes or even a shard of bone, a full, living person or animal can be created. I was contrived from a strand of your hair, and Madoka, from an eyelash."

"And everyone else?" asked Homura. "The Incubators went around harvesting DNA from the citizens?"

"Most correct. This should be able to answer your next question about why I act completely like you. We are of the same DNA and thus, of the same mind. I do not have the powers of a Demon, though. Don't ask me why."

"Third question..." Kaen walked over to a chair and seated herself, indicating Homura to do the same. The Demon obliged. "Why was Madoka only able to see you, and not me or the Incubators? Simple. They programmed her to see only you, the real Homura, in the presence of us both. Also, they made sure she knew nothing about the world of Witches and Puella Magi, thus, she can't make out the Incubators' forms. She sees through them."

"Your fourth question... Madoka will never be able to escape this city unless someone takes her out, which would be impossible with me looking over her. Also, she is not likely to figure out that she is trapped in a make-up city, because of the high level of likeness to the surface world. The Incubators have done an excellent job." Kaen's eyes flashed with satisfaction.

"And, your final question... Yes, we will be able to gain control over the exact location of this city, meaning to say, we can hide it from the Incubators so that they won't be able to study Madoka and possibly try to revert her to her Goddess form while we are not aware. This whole city is self-maintaining; life events, weather, resources... they are all taken care of. You can therefore leave Madoka here in peace as you carry out your mission of eradicating the Puella Magi."

At that, Homura heaved a sigh of relief. Madoka will finally be safe, hidden away from the influence of the Puella Magi that threaten to remind her of her higher purpose. "So, we can start this operation today?"

"Of course. The two Incubators have already set off to install the fake Madoka in her home."

"I have set a charm on her parents so that they temporarily forget about the existence of their daughter," said Homura, creasing her brows. "Won't they be surprised to see a new addition to the home?"

"Don't worry, Vyubey has seen to it that her parents would not suspect a thing," replied Kaen dismissively. "He has his own powers, that alien cat..."

"I guess that settles the first part of my plan then..." said Homura pensively.

Vyubey and Kyubey chose that time to reappear, bringing along with them the real Madoka. She was still deep in Homura's enchanted sleep.

"It is done. The fake Madoka Kaname had been put in her home, and here is the real one," purred Kyubey, no doubt longing to take Madoka into his lab and cut her up for research. After all, those files that Xyubey showed him a few days ago gave no evidence that Madoka Kaname had ever existed in this world. She could be an android for all he knew.

Homura gave Kaen an expectant look. "I trust you- _myself_ , to settle Madoka in and ensure that she leads a perfectly normal life here without any influence of Puella Magi or Witches." Kaen gave her a sombre nod. She and Homura were one entity - they both want to ensure the safety and innocence of their most beloved friend, Madoka Kaname. Together, they helped Madoka up and put her in one of Homura's beds.

"I have altered her memory to be that of Madoka coming over to my house for a sleepover," instructed Homura to her doppelganger, "You can take over from there. I will check in frequently to see how things are going." Once again, Kaen nodded silently.

"Come," Homura told the two Incubators, and they followed her out of the apartment, tails in the air. Right now, the Demon's mind was working furiously as to where she should put the fake city. It must be far away from the reach of the Incubators, yet allow her easy access at any given time.

They soon reached the control room, and Homura had formulated a brilliant plan. Instead of hiding it, why not just make it impermeable to other beings except her? She immediately asked Vyubey, "Is it possible that you put a barrier on the fake city that would prevent any other being besides me to enter it?"

The cat's face was almost pouting. "But vhy vould you vant to do that?"

Homura scoffed. "So that no one but me can enter the city. I certainly do not want any of you going in and possibly kidnapping Madoka. And, some humans, Puella Magi or not, may blunder in and cause my plan to go haywire."

"If zat iz your vish, then, Demon..." sighed Vyubey. He leapt onto a chair and began to twiddle with some buttons. A loud bleep sounded, and Vyubey said, "Zere. T'iz done..."

"Kyubey," said Homura apathetically, "try jumping into the city now."

"W-what? _Why_?" stammered Kyubey.

"To see if Vyubey has kept his word and not tricked me into thinking that a barrier has been set up," snarled Homura, which made Vyubey splutter with indignance. "Now jump!"

Hesitatingly, the white Incubator leapt at the bewitched walls, and, with a loud crack, was thrown back at once by an invisible force. "Ouch..." he moaned, rubbing his head.

"I 'ope zat vos enough proof for you," huffed Vyubey. Homura stuck a hand into the wall and was satisfied to see that she was not blasted away like Kyubey had been.

"Next, I want you to transfer this whole wall into my apartment where I can check into it frequently," she said. Vyubey obliged, and with the press of a button, the wall shimmered for a moment then disappeared from sight.

"You vill find it be'ind your cupboard, 'idden from view..." he sulked, going over to Kyubey's side and helping the stunned Incubator to get up.

"Good." With that single word, Homura then led the way back upstairs to the lab.

At last, Madoka would be safe. No one would be able to harm her there under the care of Kaen. She can now carry out part two of her plan, with or without the Fusion Witch, though it was of course preferable to have it at her beck and call...

 _All the Puella Magi and Witches here will die. They must die if Madoka were ever to live a normal life..._

"Don't worry, Madoka..." she whispered under her breath, "You'll only be staying there temporarily... Once every single thing that threatens to revert you to your Goddess form is banished, you will be set free and we can live together in peace... I promise you this, Madoka... _I promise_."

 ** _Note: Kaen is another meaning for fire._**


	19. Chapter 17 : Fights and Murder

Sayaka was lying in the long grass of her favourite hillside, looking at the summer clouds scudding across the sky with an impassive expression. Kyoko was right next to her, her legs drawn up to her chest as she sat in silence, thinking about how the coming meeting with the other members of the Mitakihara Strike Force will turn out today. The last few ones turned out to be quite disastrous, what with Sayaka always picking a fight with the Queen twins, and Oriko trying to control everyone's actions with an almost dictatorial leadership. The meeting two days ago had dissolved when Estella and Sayaka had flown into a temper due to an insensitive remark on the blue-head's behalf, concluding in the rivals almost using their blades at each other's throats.

"I doubt you two are even Australian," Sayaka had retorted when Luna had told them about their hometown during a tea break. "I mean, you've been traveling everywhere, so you probably can't even remember Australia. What ignorant parents, never once thinking about their daughters' feelings every time they have to endure going to a new school." Casting aside the horrified look that Mami had thrown at her, Sayaka's blue eyes narrowed as she looked pointedly at the twins. "And that is why, no matter where you two go, you will _always_ be _losers_."

At that, Estella had bristled and almost leapt across the table to get at Sayaka, had Luna not hurriedly grabbed at her arm. "Take that back, Sayaka Miki!" yelled Estella, eyes burning red as they did when she went berserk in battle. " _Take it back right now_!"

"And what if I don't?" sneered Sayaka. "You'd fight me then, _Queen_?"

Estella let loose a horrible cry, wrenching herself out of her twin's grip and going for Sayaka's neck. Quick reflexes saved the Japanese girl from having her head chopped off by the enraged Australian. It was all Oriko, Mami, Kirika, Luna and Kyoko could do to prise them apart as Sayaka drew her broadsword, yelling colourful insults at Estella. Yuma and Nagisa huddled together, looking frightened out of their wits.

The events that took place after that were hazy, as Sayaka could only faintly remember that she had been knocked out cold by Kyoko. She grimaced at the memory, her hand gingerly touching the still-bruised spot where the red-head had hit her with a baking pan.

"Hey, Kyoko," said Sayaka finally, tilting her head to look at her friend. "Do you think it's worth working with those four? Even though our goals are the same, I can't help feeling that this venture will _never_ turn out right."

Kyoko was shaken out of her reverie by this statement. It was true, that. Even Kyoko felt that Mami was being a fool if she continued to think that this cooperation would possibly succeed... But what could they do, _alone_ , against an all-powerful Demon who could wipe out their memories and powers by just a few simple phrases? She chose her words carefully. "I don't give a damn about those four and what they're plotting, but what I do care about is seeing Homura Akemi dead after all that she's done to us... But heck, if it means working with jerks to take her down, I'd gladly do so." She glanced down at Sayaka expectantly. "And I believe that should have been a much easier job for you than for me. I'm the antisocial prat who does things her own way, remember?"

Sayaka sighed and rolled over on her side, away from Kyoko, mumbling something incomprehensible.

"What was that?" said Kyoko, bending over her friend's head while grinning.

"Nothin', you great foodbag," mumbled Sayaka, pushing Kyoko away with a small smile etched on her lips. She sat up and stretched her long arms behind her, groaning in pleasure. "C'mon, we better get going," she extended a hand towards Kyoko, who took it, and they stood up together, brushing off the grass. "The others would be there already."

Mami glanced at the wall clock, waiting for the arrival of her friends. There was a meeting scheduled here at nine in the morning; quite early compared to the other days, because they had plans to visit the neighbouring city, Kazamino, to root out more Puella Magi. As she straightened out a few ornaments on her rectangular glass table, she pondered over the likely results of today's as-of-yet-unknown excursion. Lately, a lot of fights had broken out between the members of the Mitakihara Strike Force, mostly over trivial matters and small issues, like who should go with who during the many Witch and Wraith hunts that they had organized, who was in charge of the dishes today, and ... the latest dispute between Sayaka and Estella, which was the most worrying one yet. They had almost killed one another. She wondered if she was doing the right thing, allowing them to work together when they were all clearly reluctant to do so.

The doorbell rang, and Mami hurried over to the door, opening it to see Oriko and Kirika. "Oh, hello, Mikuni-san and Kure-san. Please, come in and make yourselves at home," she offered, with the same unwavering hospitality. The ash-blonde girl nodded her head in greeting and Kirika simply grinned as they seated themselves. From a side room, Yuma - Kyoko left there as she had went out with Sayaka - came running out with Nagisa on her tail, shouting joyfully, "Oriko! Kirika! Yuma has missed you both!" She then launched herself into Oriko's outstretched arms, laughing. Mami smiled at the sweet gesture, thinking how just a few weeks ago, Yuma had always shrunk away from the stern-looking girl, seemingly scared of her. The transformation was wonderful to witness, yet it had her thinking - _What caused this change of heart in Yuma?_

She had no time to ponder over it as the doorbell rang again. This time, it was the twins, both looking decidedly disgruntled. "Whassup?" grunted Luna at Mami, who was surprised at the informal greeting she got. Speechless, she let them in, knowing very well that something was going on at the twins' place. These days, they seemed quite touchy and irritable, and when asked if something where wrong, they merely shook their heads and gave false smiles. Now, they only had to wait for Sayaka and Kyoko to arrive before commencing the meeting.

Mami was about to ask Luna if she was fine, but the doorbell rang again for the final time. Tired of getting up and opening the door, she just called out, "Enter!" Sayaka and Kyoko trooped in, and before anyone could do anything, Estella had said in a malicious hiss, "Look who's late. The high and mighty Sayaka Miki..."

Oriko was prepared for this. As Sayaka gave a howl and leapt forward to grab Estella, the ash-blonde sent a hard projectile whizzing in Sayaka's direction, catching the girl squarely in the abdomen. With a painful choke, she fell backwards and clutched at her stomach with a pained expression. Kyoko hurriedly helped her up as Mami sat in flummoxed silence, her hands at her mouth. Even before the meeting had started, violence had broken out.

"Sayaka Miki," murmured Oriko coldly, "I would appreciate it if you didn't go flying at Estella-san's throat every time she says something."

"She insulted me!" roared Sayaka, getting to her feet again. Mami tried to pull her back down, but Sayaka shrugged her off. "I know you're just siding with her because she's -"

"-telling the truth, and _nothing_ but the truth!" snapped Oriko impatiently. "Now sit down before I decide to send another projectile - and into that loud mouth of yours this time, if that would make you shut up."

Cowed but still glowering, Sayaka took her seat next to Kyoko, cursing under her breath. Mami glanced at them uneasily, unsure of what to say. Thankfully, Oriko took over, noticing her accomplice's dumbstruck appearance.

"Putting all other things aside," she began, shooting a glare at Estella and Sayaka, "We shall start this meeting by reading out the Puella Magi search reports from everyone." She took out a few sheets of paper and scanned them for useful information, but found none. "Seems like there really are no more Puella Magi in Mitakihara City... We would have to extend our search today, as planned."

"Moving on," she said, storing the papers back into her handbag, "we will count and store the Grief Cubes that we have obtained during our last multi-group excursion. Everyone, take out your Grief Cubes."

There was a clattering of black objects onto the table, each glowing faintly with a white aura. As Kirika counted them, Yuma helped slip them into a large sack, filled halfway with identical Grief Cubes.

"...Ninety-six, ninety-seven, ninety-eight... ... Only ninety-eight in total, Oriko!" sighed the brunette as she shoved the last few into the open sack herself. "We expected at least a hundred and thirty five..."

Oriko's eyes dimmed. "Who did not achieve the minimum quota of fifteen Grief Cubes?" she asked, her tone low. The twins gulped, not daring to look at their senior. Unfortunately, their guilty actions could not escape the wrath of Sayaka.

"Hey, you Queens," drawled Sayaka, leering at Estella and Luna, "You two didn't hand in any Grief Cubes today, as far as I've noticed. _What happened_?"

The older of the twins gritted her teeth in suppressed anger. "We couldn't go for a Wraith hunt because something cropped up..."

"Care to tell us what that _something_ was?" taunted Sayaka, enjoying it immensely. Luna exhaled forcefully trough her nostrils, trying to keep her voice level. "It is none of your business what happened to us. We couldn't hunt due to some personal reasons that we will not talk about."

Sayaka snorted. "Sure, I bet it's something _sooo_ important that the lives of your comrades don't really matter anymore-"

"It's not like that!" flared up Estella, "You don't understand what's going on, and you never will!"

Before both girls could get at each other again, Kyoko gave Sayaka a deadly hiss that meant _'shut up right now before I punch you'_. Reluctantly, Sayaka gave in. Mami hastily tried to bring the group back to the topic.

"So," she said breathlessly, trying to act as if nothing had happened, "We're missing a few Grief Cubes, but we can surely make up for that in the next Hunt. As for now, we should focus on finding Puella Magi from the neighbouring city, Kazamino."

Oriko nodded sagely, agreeing. "Mami-san is correct. Before any more _pointless quarrels_ erupt," at this, she glared at the offending trio, "I'd say we'd do well leaving for Kazamino now. The earliest bus will be leaving soon. Something as important as this shouldn't be delayed."

As one, the members nodded; finally, something they came to agree on whole-heartedly since the day they formed the Mitakihara Strike Force.

Homura watched as the Incubators meticulously planted a bomb the size of a walnut into the Mystery Witch's brain. If it were to ever escape and get out of control, the Incubators could easily detonate the implanted weapon, destroying the Witch for good. After all, if it couldn't Actualise, what purpose would it serve her? She sighed deeply, remorseful over the fifty deaths that she had caused, yet to see nothing fruitful evolve from it.

But she still had hope. One day, she may just be able to find a Puella Magi strong enough to dominate the fifty others, and give shape to their being.

She walked along the Laboratory's deserted corridor, smiling as she thought about how well Madoka was going along with her doppelganger, Kaen. The innocent little girl didn't suspect a thing, and was as friendly as ever to Homura when she showed up.

Then, something made the Demon stop cold in her tracks. Up ahead, two voices could be heard discussing, and something in their tones told her that this topic was top-secret, unknown even to her. Homura slowed her footsteps and muffled her footfalls, creeping along the wall to drop into the conversation silently, without the speakers knowing.

"...has been going well. She and her friend took down the high-class Witch easily through a mixture of brains and brawn. They are a good team..." The voice unmistakeably belonged to Kyubey.

"...still remains the fact that she won't listen to you. You must make sure that..." replied Xyubey.

"...the last Elemental one is the Fire-Singer. She's also in Kazamino..."

"...she will find her eventually... secret... mustn't let anyone know... Anyways... hungry..."

"...wonder what's for lunch... hope it's Grief Cubes..."

With a pattering of small feet, Kyubey and Xyubey were gone.

The Demon's heart beat wildly against her ribcage. The Incubators were plotting something behind her back, she was sure of it! Sweat beaded her forehead as she leaned her back on the wall, fear consuming her. But soon, fear hardened into anger, and anger boiled to hate, when she realised with a jolt that the Fire-Singer they were referring to could mean no one else but the fiery, tiger-like girl in her nightmares.

Now, she knew that her nightmares meant more than just a dream. They were prophecies. The existence of the Fire-Singer was enough to convince her that all three of the spectres in her dream were real. And then she would die... smashed and pierced and burnt into a puddle of void...

 _Unless she hunted them down first_...

Gnashing her teeth, Homura fled back up the corridor, fists clenched, as an image burned into her mind: She will find this girl and her comrades... _and kill all three of them..._

For nothing will get in the way of her plan for Madoka's happy ending...

 _Nothing_...

The Mitakihara Strike Force boarded the first bus to Kazamino. Once seated on the open-air level, they split the members into groups to fan the city and look for Puella Magi. Oriko went with Yuma and Nagisa, Mami with Kirika (Kirika had pouted and wailed for Oriko), Sayaka with Estella (they screamed in defiance, but Oriko said some teamwork would do them good), and finally, Kyoko with Luna (Kyoko shot an apologetic glance at Sayaka).

"I will now detail what the plan involves," said Oriko in her no-nonsense tone, sweeping her gaze to everyone seated before her. "Each team will head in a different direction - north, south, east and west, and use their rings to locate any existing Puella Magi. Should they find one, they will signal for the others by sending a green magic flare - which is invisible to the normal human eye - into the sky. This way, we will be able to have a count on how many we can get. I trust all of you to have enough diplomacy skills to convince the other party to join us."

"Should you encounter trouble along the way, either take care of it, if it's within your capacity, or call for help using a red signal flare. We will come to help as fast as possible." Oriko glanced at her watch. "Now, it is ten a.m. sharp. We will reach the city by eleven. At six o'clock in the evening, we will gather once more at the bus terminal, with or without any new members. Have I got you all clear?"

Everyone nodded.

"Good," said Oriko, leaning into her seat. "For now, we should all rest. Today will be a long day..."

"When Oriko said it would be a long day, she wasn't kidding..." grumbled Sayaka, trudging in the heat alongside Estella. They were in charge of the southern area of Kazamino, and so far, after two hours of walking, their rings hadn't given off any signs of Puella Magi life, nor had there been any green flares from the others as well.

The Australian wiped the sweat off her brow, growling while concentrating on her ring, "If you would just shut up and put your mind to the task instead of prattling on about the damned weather, then maybe you won't be half as restless as you are now."

Sayaka whirled around, body tensed. "What are you implying now, _Queen_? That I'm not working as hard as you are now? That I will always be second-rate compared to _you_?"

The amber eyes of Estella flushed blood-red as she snapped, "I never implied anything, but now that you mention it, you're not far off. _You_ were the one that made me your enemy for no reason at all, _you_ were the one that refused to see through jealousy, _you_ were the one that first resorted to violence, and now, _you_ are the one that's picking a fight!" Estella prodded Sayaka in the chest boldly. "If that's not second-rate compared to me - who tries to keep everything in as little conflict as possible, then I don't know _what_ is!"

The two girls were breathing heavily now, glaring at each other. Then, most unexpectedly, Sayaka dropped her gaze, deflated, and mumbled, " _I'm sorry..._ "

"Wait, w-what?" blurted Estella, stunned. She was getting ready for a heated, drawn-out argument, and this happened instead.

"I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry for being such an impervious hothead!" shouted Sayaka, gripping the other girl's hand. Estella looked even more stunned.

"I've been a git and a stupid fool. Your words _are_ true. I _am_ second-rate to you because I don't think before I act. I am impulsive and reckless... We're a team, Stella, and I shouldn't be fighting with you for no reason at all. Now, I see how idiotic I was..." Her blue eyes locked onto Estella's. "Will you forgive me?"

The Australian blinked, then slowly, a weary smile lifted her lips. "Of course I do. It's all in the past now, right?"

"Right." Sayaka smiled in return, a heavy burden lifted off her chest. But with this new release, came a new memory - or rather, a memory so often-times erased, it was considered new.

"Estella," said Sayaka slowly, "Totally unrelated, but do you remember something called the Law of Cycles, along with a Goddess called Madokami...?"

"I-I think so..." frowned her friend. "Though... It sounds like something you would hear in a fairy tale... Tell me more. "Sayaka was about to elaborate when a shadowy person stepped out in front of them, long black hair falling to her waist like a curtain.

"Sayaka Miki, we meet again," simpered Homura, her bow hanging loosely on her shoulder. "Beautiful confession, by the way. To cut to the chase, I am afraid that I can no longer spare your life, for you are becoming increasingly, annoyingly good at remembering something you shouldn't remember."

Immediately, Estella made as if to shoot a red flare into the sky for help, but the Demon was much faster. Homura whipped out her bow and bashed Estella's head with it forcefully, and she crumpled to the ground, unconscious. Sayaka gasped in terror, trying to make sense of what just happened, as Homura grabbed her throat.

"Y-y-you're the D-Demon who locked away Madokami!" rasped Sayaka, clawing at Homura's hand. "I won't let you g-get away with t-this! I'll k-kill you right here and n-now!"

The Demon's unkind smile widened. "How smart of you to realise that. Also, I give you full marks for stupidity and bravado. However..." The smile wiped off her face. "With that knowledge and audacity... comes _death_!"

Her grip on Sayaka's neck tightened in an instant, like the pincers of a crab throttling its prey. She watched in glee as the blue-head thrashed and gasped greedily for air, the Soul Gem on her engraved ring darkening quickly.

"No one will save you, Sayaka Miki. Not even your beloved Kyoko," Homura crooned, veins popping out on her hand as she clenched even tighter. "You will die along with the knowledge that I am the Demon, the Destroyer of the Law of Cycles... And you will die _alone_ , _unloved_ and _unwanted_."

"You're - wrong!" choked Sayaka, her face turning a shade of purple. "I - am - loved by - Kyoko, Madokami-"

"Then tell me now," sneered Homura, thrusting her face into Sayaka's. "Where are they? Why are they not here by your side, saving you? What happened to your beloved Madokami, who wouldn't come to your rescue as before?"

"They – are – busy-"

Her evil eyes glinted with overflowing sin. "No! It's because they _hate_ you, you snivelling, useless fool!"

Sayaka's Soul Gem shattered with a booming crack as the girl herself let loose a profane roar. Homura released her grip, jumping backwards and grinning. She knew all too well that Sayaka was able to control her Witch form due to being part of the Law of Cycles, but this was a different case. Back then, she could control her Witch through her conscious human body, but now, that body was _dead._

Which meant that this Witch was _feral_ \- no longer controlled by Sayaka Miki's human soul, free to do as it pleased, free to _kill_...

The Soul Gem transformed into a Grief Seed, which rapidly hatched, unleashing Oktavia von Seckendorf, the Mermaid Witch. Her labyrinth quickly enveloped Estella's still-unconscious form, then disappeared into thin air, travelling fast towards the seven Puella Magi of the Strike Force, intent on murder...

With Sayaka now dead, no one will be able to remember Madokami, for Sayaka was always the first to bring up the topic, and was always the one who remembered the most details. Though Homura wanted to make herself feel guilty for killing Sayaka, she couldn't.

This was the girl that had hurt Madoka. This was the girl who was so selfish; she made a wish and fell into despair all by herself, and blamed Madoka for it.

She deserved to die.

Homura had got lucky, bumping into Sayaka on her way to find the Fire-Singer. Now, she needn't worry about that imprudent git spilling the beans to everyone. She could finally focus on getting rid of all the Puella Magi, and ultimately, all the Witches, in the world.

But first, she had a Fire-Singer to look for...


	20. Chapter 18 : Fire and Water

The pleasant sound of guitar strums floated around the humid air, accompanied by the soft humming of a beautiful voice. Under the summer sun, Tera Aido plucked at her guitar strings, playing the song, 'What do you mean', while her best friend, Rikka Sayuki, gave voice to the melody. They sat side by side on the ledge of the Kazamino School of Music and Arts balcony, which was overlooking the city, enjoying each other's company.

"What do you mean?  
When you nod your head yes  
But you wanna say no  
What do you mean?  
When you don't want me to move  
But you tell me to go  
What do you mean?"

As the last chords faded away, Rikka leaned her head onto Tera's shoulder and sighed contentedly. "It's so peaceful, don't you think so, Tera-chan?"

Her American-Japanese friend nodded, putting aside her guitar. "Such a day is hard to come by, huh?" she said, with a light American accent. "We should enjoy it while it lasts."

"Yes, we should..." replied Rikka quietly, nuzzling into Tera."Do you mind if I take a nap on your shoulder?"

Tera smirked. "What? Go to sleep on a ledge and risk plummeting to our doom?" She leaned back on the wide ledge, resting her back on the wall. "Sounds like a very exciting thing to do, actually. I can't object to that, now can I?"

As Rikka closed her eyes, Tera relaxed and allowed her mind to drift off, back to the past. Eight months ago, her life was hell. With Rikka falling into constant, dangerously low depressions that risked turning her into a Witch at any time, it was all Tera and Eruna, Rikka's younger sister, could do to make sure that she didn't succumb to the pain and transform. Kureha Chiaki, another close friend, also played her part by cheering everyone up when times were hard with her amazing musical skills. Give the girl any instrument and she would play it like a seasoned expert although she was only thirteen.

But Rikka had her reasons for being down. Her parents were killed after she had failed to protect them from a Witch's rampage, and Eruna, who wasn't a Puella Magi, could do nothing but watch helplessly as her parents were slaughtered before her eyes. Feeling like a failure to her family, Rikka started to have suicidal thoughts, and everything started to spiral downhill ever since.

And for Tera, her suffering was a hundred times worse than the others. But they didn't know what she had to go through to save Rikka. They would never understand, even if she were to tell them.

For who would believe her if she told them that she had experienced a month-long torture that kept restarting and replaying itself? Who would believe that she was 'stuck in the flow of time', forced to see Rikka fail to save her parents over and over again? And if she herself failed to bring Rikka out of the abyss of despair, she would be forced to witness Rikka transform into a Witch and kill her.

 _Over and over again._

Pushing the unpleasant thoughts to the back of her mind, Tera tried to dismiss her terrible month-long ordeal as a hallucination.

But she knew it wasn't one. It was real. As real as the sky, earth and wind. As real as her own two hands, which were given to her through her wish in return to becoming a Puella Magi.

She stared out into space, listening to the steady breathing of Rikka. Thankfully, time stopped repeating itself in the month that Tera had managed to save Rikka. If she had failed and Rikka had turned into a Witch... She wouldn't be able to face another day of life without ever forgiving herself.

One day, she will find an explanation as to why she was trapped in that month. She had to find out.

And she will punish the person who made her suffer like this.

Tera was rudely jolted out of her thoughts by Kureha and Eruna, who had ran into the room all a-clutter and were squealing at the top of their voices. "The Water Festival's today! It's today!" shrieked Kureha, bouncing onto the balcony to tug at Tera's shirt. "C'mon, Tera-senpai, we've gotta go now before we miss the opening at four thirty, and it's already four fifteen now!"

Rikka's eyes flew open and she almost toppled over the ledge in surprise. "K-Kureha-chan..! Don't go screaming like that, you almost turned me into flattened pancakes!" she reprimanded, trying to look stern. Kureha just giggled and flounced away, now grabbing Eruna's hand and heading for the doorway.

"C'mon c'mon c'mon! It's gonna start!" she tittered excitedly. "I'll get the pails with Eruna-chan, you two just make sure you turn up there quick!" And with that, she disappeared around the corner, dragging Eruna along, who was smiling in bewilderment.

Tera was stuttering in surprise. "B-b-but there wasn't any news about the festival! How can they just announce it like that?" She looked at Rikka with wide, feline eyes, as if her friend could give her an answer. "I know they change the date and time every year, but this is just crazy! They didn't even give prior notice!"

Rikka laughed sweetly, holding her friend's hands gently. Tera's heart skipped a beat, all the indignation in her evaporating. "We don't need to get all upset, Tera-chan. Maybe we accidentally missed the notice, who knows? After all, we'll still be attending it, won't we, my little tiger?" Rikka liked to call Tera 'tiger', simply because she looked and acted like one.

"Y-yeah... I guess you're right, senpai," shrugged Tera, averting her eyes from Rikka's angelic face, trying not to blush. "I'll... errr... just get some more pails, if you don't mind." She hastily got off the ledge and ran to the nearest bathroom, Rikka's touch still lingering on her hands.

"Goddamit, senpai," she muttered to herself, grabbing all the pails she could see. "Your gaze can be a little bit too intense sometimes, you know? Looking at your eyes are like looking into a frickin' abyss of no return."

"Tera-chan?" called out Rikka from outside. "Are you talking to yourself in the bathroom?"

She jumped violently, dropping all the pails. "E-e-eto...! N-no, I'm definitely not talking to myself, nope, not at all!"

Rikka laughed her angelic laugh, making Tera's knees go into jelly mode. "I'm pretty sure you're not, Tera-chan. You need me to go in there and help?"

"N-no need to, I'm fine, totally fine," she coughed, picking up the dropped pails and hurrying outside. "See, I've got it all under control."

"I am impressed!" exclaimed Rikka teasingly, poking at Tera's tough biceps. "By the way, have I ever told you that you have amazing muscles?"

Tera raised an eyebrow and said in a husky voice, playing along, "You have never yet told me that, my fair lady, and I am happy that you love my hideous biceps."

"Let's go, shall we, my handsome Prince Charming?" said Rikka, smiling.

"Yes we shall, my beautiful Princess," replied Tera flamboyantly. And off they went, joking with one another about biceps and pails.

"But I don't want to go!" wailed Shika, grabbing at the door post as Akira tried to pry her off. "It'll be loud, and confusing, and claustrophobic, and terrible, and we're gonna drown in the water-"

Akira gave an exasperated sigh, wrapping her arms around Shika's torso and finally heaving her away. "For the last time, Shika darling, you're _not_ gonna drown," said Akira firmly, turning Shika to face her. Her friend whimpered. "And you need to get out of your house. You've been locking yourself in here for the past three days and I'm pretty sure you'll die of inactivity first before anything else."

Yuki barked and wagged her tail, looking at her mistress with hopeful brown eyes. _'You need some fun, Shika, and I need it as well. But if you don't want to go, I can always chase Akira away for you.'_

"See, even Yuki thinks you need to go," beamed Akira, although she had no idea what Yuki had just said. Shika hid a snort of laughter by turning it into a very realistic sneeze. "Playing with water won't kill you Shika," continued Akira, "And looking at the state you are in now, you are in desperate need for some fun. You should just forget about the two of them and move on,it doesn't help to keep mulling over it."

Shika hung her head, suddenly very interested in the blade of grass near her foot, feeling the colour rise to her cheeks. Her classmates had always teased her for going to school in old uniforms and using old books and stationery. And three days ago, during a summer class project, they made up a nasty song about her. She had told herself to not take the lyrics to heart, but she found she couldn't. _Shika, Shika, timid little deer. Goes to school in rags, never has money for food, her only friend is a dog; emotionless person, all she feels is, well, nothing!_

She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling.

 _How did Akira find out?_

"You must be wondering how I know about this," said Akira, and Shika looked up at her slowly. "I'm your best friend, Shika. Honestly, don't think I don't know what's going on behind that shy mind of yours. You're mysterious and secretive, yes, but your actions are so transparent, someone who knows you well enough would see straight off the bat that something was up with you."

Shika gave a wry smile, asking softly, "Was it that obvious that I was suffering from depression and feelings of inadequacy...?"

"Yes it was, darling… At least to me, it was."

"God." Shika smiled sickeningly and looked away. "These thoughts are poisoning my mind. You're right, Akira, I need to go and have some fun and forget about things..."

Akira blinked. She never expected Shika to give in so easily, after all that screaming and tugging and convincing just half an hour ago. Seems like she finally hit a sore spot.

Not that she was proud of making her friend feel even worse than before...

"Shika..." said Akira tentatively, "Stupid question, but are you alright...?"

"I've never felt better," lied Shika, putting on a convincing smile. "Now, let's go to the festival before we miss the opening show."

Yuki gave a joyful yap and bounded out the gates, barking back, _"Meet you two there! I'm too excited to wait, haha!"_

"Wait, Yuki! You need-!" But her dog was already gone. "... a collar and leash..." she finished lamely.

"C'mon, grab them and we'll chase up with her. Fifteen minutes to the opening show, and the park is fifteen minutes away. Perfect," said Akira sarcastically. She made for the gates, then felt Shika's hand on hers, holding her back. She looked at Shika, seeing a genuine smile on her face now.

"Thanks, Akira... For always being there for me…" Shika murmured.

Without knowing why, Akira pulled Shika into a hug and whispered into her ear, "You know I'm always here for you. Don't be afraid to tell me what's wrong. After all, we're friends, and friends carry each other's burdens, right?"

"Yeah… We carry each other's burdens…" repeated Shika, hugging Akira back. "You're the best friend ever, Akira…"

Jostling through the crowd to look for Kureha and Eruna, Tera and Rikka arrived just in time to hear the host booming over the microphone, "And now, without further ado, let the Annual Water Festival begin! Activate the fountaaaaains!"

Three jets of water burst towards the sky from the middle of the lake of Kazamino Central Park, spinning and twirling around like intertwined snakes and sending spray everywhere. Water droplets hung in the air like crystals sparkling against the azure blue sky as the people gathered below oohed and aahed at the stunning spectacle.

But the main attraction was yet to come. The strong sunlight reflected into the spray, shooting rainbows across the whole lake in a beautiful formation of archways. Colours sprang to life over the surface of the lake, and the lotuses floating on it were bathed in iridescent rainbows. The jets of water twisted around and the rainbows followed, spinning in circles until the sky was a blur or colours.

Yuki, with collar around her neck, wagged her tail animatedly, catching droplets of water on her tongue. Shika, on the other hand, was lost for words, taking in the beauty that man and nature had worked together to create. It had been a very long time since she attended the Water Festival, the last being the year before her whole family had died off, and she had all but forgotten how beautiful the rainbows were.

She had also forgotten how wet this festival was, as the jets suddenly turned rogue and started to shoot everyone on the banks with lake water.

Shika ducked behind a few bodies just in time to save herself from being drenched, but Akira wasn't so lucky. She got a full blast of water in the face and toppled over Yuki, who was barking maniacally, tongue lolling out like a demented Shiba Inu.

Shrieking bodies gleefully pushed her about as the chaos of the Water Festival broke out. People rushed around, grabbing pails, water guns and water balloons, filling them from taps, hoses and even the lake itself. And very soon, the air was hissing with steam, streaked with water jets from the lake and flying water balloons exploding over random festival goers' heads.

Laughing happily, Shika evaded all the water that was being flung at her most skilfully, still miraculously dry even though everyone within a hundred-metre radius of her was sodden to the bone.

Water dripping from her long hair, Akira sloshed a whole pail-full of water over a woman's back, only to get a jet of water shot into her face yet again. Sputtering in glee, she scanned the throng for Shika, and soon saw her skipping amongst them, completely dry.

"That girl is unbelievable," sniggered Akira, refilling her pail with lake water, an evil glint in her blizzard-grey eyes. "Get ready for the biggest dousing of your life, Shika. Ahahahahaha!"

By now, Tera was soaked from head to toe in water. Eruna, Rikka and Kureha ragged her playfully, singing in mock off-key voices. "The Tiger is soaked, its fire put out; the cat is wet, it ears are turning red; Run right now, before it pounces; claws outstretched, rip you to piece _saaaaahhhhhh_!"

They broke into a perfect soprano scream as Tera grabbed a water gun from a little boy's hand ("Hey! Give that back to me!") and opened fire, spraying streams of high-pressure water at her gang. They shielded their faces at once, hopping on the spot while shrieking. Hooting uproariously, Tera tossed the gun back at the boy (accidentally hitting him in the head) and leapt towards the three girls, the flame of mischief dancing in her feline eyes.

" _This_ -!" she exclaimed, grabbing all three girls by the ruff of their necks, "Is for dunking three pails of water over my head!" With a powerful heave, she forced them to face the lake jets and shoved them into the heavy torrent of lake water, then let go as they were blasted off their feet into the muddy ground. "Hahaha! This is too amusing!" She chortled, slapping her thighs in glee as they glared at her in unison.

"Girls..." said Rikka, wiping muck off of her cheeks, "We've got a tiger to hunt..."

"Uh oh." Tera's smug look faltered and she started to back away from her three friends, who had acquired the garden hose by pure luck when they were shot down ("Oooh! Look what I found!" cried Kureha, wrenching a long hose from under Eruna's shoulders).

"Revenge is sweet, my little feline friend," purred Rikka as they found the nozzle of the hose and shot the water full in Tera's face. " _Fire in the hole_!" screeched Kureha, as Eruna doubled up next to her from laughing too much.

"Gaaaaaah! Bleeegh! S-stahp! Stahp ahahagaaakk!" whined Tera, floundering around with her arms flailing wildly. "W-water! Water in my nose! _Achoooooh_!"

Meanwhile, Shika was still amazingly dry. She had noticed her white-haired friend charging at her with a bucket in hand, the creepiest grin plastered on her face. Yuki was right next to her, jowls flapping and tongue flinging drool everywhere. Akira was hot on her heels, hell bent on making sure that Shika did not escape the festival unscathed.

"You can't run forever, Shika dear!" she called out.

"I _can_ , and you look like a sodden mess!" retorted Shika, snickering as she ducked behind a pillar, narrowly avoiding a water balloon.

"You are _such a cheek_ , darling!" marvelled Akira as a water gun shot her between her shoulder blades. "I'm surprised you have some amount of naughtiness in you, haha!"

Shika stuck out her tongue in such a childish way that Akira had to stop and laugh, clutching at a stitch in her side. Oh, just you wait, Shika! I will drench you with so much water, you'll - "She couldn't finish her sentence because a water bomb landed squarely on her head, muffling her shouts.

Tera had regained the upper hand, and she was bombarding her three friends with a bucketful of water balloons (that she had stolen from a little girl) from on top of a small hill, guffawing raucously. She turned away to avoid a shower of water from Kureha, and smashed right into Shika, who was sprinting away from Akira couldn't stop herself in time to avoid collision. The two crashed to the ground and rolled downhill in a flurry of grass.

"Hey, watch where you're runnin' at!" snapped Tera, groaning. Her eyes then landed on Shika's dry self, and she whistled in wonder. "Dammit, woman, you're still dry. How did you do that?"

Shika's deep-green eyes darted over Tera, taking in her weird clothes (exposed-shoulder crepe top, black leather skirt and combat boots) and unique looks: Fire-red hair, tiger-like amber eyes, stripes drawn over her face and arms... and were those _fangs_ in her mouth...?

"I... err... just evaded everyone," said Shika cagily, standing up and somehow feeling daunted by this tiger girl.

Tera knife-jacked to her feet and cocked an eyebrow at Shika, impressed. "Evading, huh? I could learn a trick or two from you... But surely, you won't be able to evade _me_..."

A creepy grin matching that of Akira's spread over the tiger girl's face as she gripped the green-head's wrists with astounding strength, startling Shika.

"W-w-wait!" yelped Shika, panicky. "What are you doing?!"

Tera's feline grin widened perilously. "I'm about to show you that you can't evade getting wet forever."

Shika gave a terrified squeak.

Tera surged towards the lake, muscles showing up like cords as she dragged Shika along with her. Shika, who was actually quite strong herself, couldn't react in time to resist Tera's sinewy strength as she was taken by total surprise.

"Let's go for a dip, stranger!" yelled Tera, simpering like a demon. With a last burst of fierce intensity, she pulled Shika forward and let go of her wrists, creating enough inertia to send the older girl plunging into the lake headfirst.

"Now isn't that a whole load of insane fun?" she smirked as Shika came up, spluttering and looking utterly shocked. "So fun that I think I'll join you down there!" And she leapt in after Shika, landing with a huge splash and sending a tidal wave over Shika's head.

"We shouldn't be in the lake!" cried Shika, wading towards the bank and looking remarkably like a panicked deer. "They'll catch us! We're breaking the rules-"

"Hey, hey! Calm down, woman, we ain't breakin' no rules, so there!" She put a sopping arm around Shika's shoulders, and the green-haired girl shrank visibly. "See there, the signboard says 'No Swimming Allowed', and technically speaking, we ain't swimmin' now are we? We're just havin' a good old dip."

Shika nodded slowly, telling herself that this was all a dream and that she would wake up soon enough and find herself in bed, not standing in the lake with a crazy girl.

"You're kinda rigid, ya know, all scared and terrified of breaking the rules and shit. You should learn to relax, stranger," said Tera nonchalantly. "And by the way, the name's Tera Aido, guitar and piano maestro, manga artist and master of mischief, but you can call me Tera. Nice to meet you!"

She stuck out a hand to Shika, who simply stared at it warily.

"Err... this is the part where you shake my hand and tell me your name, stranger," muttered Tera after a few awkward seconds, whispering out of the corner of her mouth. "Jesus Christ, you're dense, woman."

Shika grabbed Tera's hand and pumped it up and down over-enthusiastically, saying in a strangled voice, "Shika Kiyomizu, my name is Shika Kiyomizu. Nice to meet you, Tera-san, now if you excuse me I'll just get out right now and -"

"Shika Kiyomizu? Your name literally means 'deer' and 'pure water', right?" said Tera, eyes shining as she grabbed Shika, stopping her from getting away. "It's a nice name, and it suits you. You really are like a deer – shy and timid."

Shika gave Tera a weary, sideways glance. "I get that a lot, thank you."

"Well, deer, you've met your mortal enemy, the tiger. But don't worry, my bite is actually worse than my roar, if you get what I mean. And I only bite when I need to. I'm quite sure you're my opposite, aren't you?"

"I don't know if my bite or my bark is worse... Where is this conversation going to, if I may ask?"

Tera smirked. "Nowhere in particular. Hey, up for some mischief? You look like you could use some more fun in your life."

Shika gulped, not sure whether she should commit mischief with this girl. But whether she wanted it or not, Tera was soon dragging her further up the bank like a tiger dragging its prey to its doom. They waded behind a large weeping willow, now thoroughly muddied.

"I don't think we shou-" began Shika, but she may as well talk to the air for all she cared, as Tera had cut through her, her voice excited.

"We pick up mud from the base of the lake, pop out the side of this tree and fling them at people, then dart back behind and hide before they see us. Agreed?"

Shika opened her mouth to protest when Tera beamed disarmingly, her fangs gleaming. "Agreed! I knew you would agree, Shika-senpai!"

Before Shika could stop her, Tera plunged her hand into the water and brought up a ball of mud, flinging it hard at a random person behind the tree. The sound of a squelch and a surprised shout told them her aim was true.

"C'mon, senpai – you _are_ my senpai, aren't you? – have some fun!" she tossed another mudball into the crowd.

"Unless you're older than seventeen, then yes, I am your senpai. And... I'm not sure about this, Tera-san. It seems too... wild," said Shika, brows creasing.

"Exactly!" quipped Tera, "It _is_ wild, and what's life without a bit of wildness in it? And I'm definitely your kouhai because I'm only fourteen. So grab a mudball and join me! It's fun!"

"I will not do that!" huffed Shika stubbornly. "Never in a million years!"

 _*five minutes later*_

"This is the _best. Day. Ever_!" whooped Shika, hurling a massive mudball at an unsuspecting victim. He gave a gurgle and went down with a stupefied gawk. She ducked behind the tree and hugged her sides, laughing so hard that tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I told you it'd be fun!" cracked Tera, pounding her fist on the tree trunk in absolute mirth. "I swear to God, I'm gonna die from too much laughter, hahaha!"

They doubled over, laughing and clapping each other on the back like long-lost friends. Shika didn't know who she was anymore. Standing waist-deep in churned-up water, streaked with mud and wringing wet, she never imagined a day where she would just lose all her cool and go crazy.

But it felt good. Really good. This was the first time ever since eight months ago that she had felt any real joy, joy that was raw and potent and pleasing.

Giggling like primary school girls, they darted along the tall rushes, slapping heavy mud onto passers-by's shoes and tripping them. Snatching up an abandoned scoop, Shika filled it up with lake water and jumped out at the nearest person, sloshing all the contents over her.

She realised a second too late that the person she attacked was none other than Akira Oda, with Yuki next to her.

Yelping, half-scared, half-delighted, Shika dropped the pail and made to escape, but Akira had seized her by the collar, cracking into a grin. "I never knew you had a crazy persona, Shika Kiyomizu."

Throwing herself onto Shika, the two friends fell with a great squelch into the lake, yelling and screaming as they coated each other in mud. Yuki barked excitedly on the bank, not showing any signs of jumping into the fray.

" _Yeah! Gut her, Akira! Show her who's boss! Whoops, I'm supposed to supporting you, Shika, aren't I?"_

"Hey, I wanna join too!" declared Tera loudly. Without waiting for approval, she was soon engaged in the watery battle, and all three girls flailed and cudgelled the other with mud. It was ten minutes later before they all gave up, floating on the water like corpses while breathing heavily.

"Dangit, you both are strong," moaned Akira, her hair akin to a bird's nest. "I can get why Shika is strong though, she swings a huge mallet everyw-"

Shika gave an urgent hiss, and Akira shut up immediately. Tera looked at her suspiciously, but thankfully did not press the matter.

"So, your name, white girl?" asked Tera, proffering her hand to Akira, who gripped it without hesitation.

"Akira Oda. And you are?"

"Tera Aido, judo, karate and MMA master, not to mention lover of music and all things weird. Nice to meet you, senpai-of-senpai."

Akira furrowed her brows. "Senpai-of-senpai?"

"You are Shika-senpai's senpai, are you not? You look at least seventeen to me. Thus, senpai-of-senpai. Got a problem with that?" she challenged, licking her fangs.

"I'm eighteen, so yes, I'm the senpai-of-senpai. No objections, because you are totally right," said Akira, feeling awed that this girl wasn't intimidated by her at all. Usually, people would think she looked too imperious and scary to be talked to. But then again, it was hard to look intimidating when you were half-covered by mud, with fronds sticking out of your hair.

"Well then, senpai-of-senpai," (here, Akira snorted in disbelief) "and Shika-senpai, I'll be going back to my friends now to continue the watery assault," beamed Tera, hugging them both in a crushing embrace. "If you ever want to stay in contact, find me at the Kazamino School of Music and Arts. I'll usually be there, practising my piano and guitar. You two seem like awesome people."

Shika blushed. "A-awesome? Really?"

"Of course!" tittered Tera, "You just whacked a bunch of people with mud and water, and that makes you awesome, even though you're shy and timid as shit."

Shika flinched at the word. "You know, you should probably tone down on the profane language…"

Tera leapt onto the ground, shaking her head and smirking, "No can do, woman. I was raised with these words around me my whole life. It has become part of me." And she was gone.

Akira took Shika's hand, leading her out of the lake. "Weird girl, huh?" she remarked. "Anyways, let's go home now. We've had enough fun for one day, haven't we?" She flashed her with a kindly smile, and Shika's heart warmed right up.

Even if everyone looked down on her, made fun of her and thought her unworthy of making friends with, she still had someone to turn to. Akira was the closest thing she had to the family that she had lost, and therefore, she would cherish their friendship forevermore. Nothing and nobody would ever get in the way of their bond.

Shika attached the leash to Yuki's collar, and waved goodbye to Akira, water dripping off of her as she headed home. Akira would have walked her back herself, but her parents had insisted on having her meet the boy from the Ishida clan at six in the evening. It was already five forty-five.

 _Let him wait_ , groused Akira as she splashed clear water onto her face to clean off the mud. She usually valued punctuality, but this case was an exception. She absolutely hated that guy and he made her wish she was never born into the Oda clan.

Putting all things aside, Akira was relieved that she had made the right choice in getting Shika to the festival. She hadn't seen Shika laugh or smile genuinely since that fateful eight months ago, where her friend had suddenly distanced herself from her for seemingly no reason. She had tried to ask her what happened, but Shika always changed the topic, eager to not go into that discussion.

That day, after fighting Ciel, Shika had continued her story about Kyubey's plans to murder the Demon, saying that Homura was disrupting some sort of balance and needed to be killed. It was all fine that they knew they were fighting for a 'believably good' cause, but how can they commit to something they didn't know half the details about? Shika then described as much as she knew about Homura to Akira, but after that, she clammed up again. Akira was hoping she may start talking about that mysterious event eight months ago, but it seemed she would have to wait.

No matter. When Shika was ready to tell her, she would be there to listen.

***

From a high vantage point overlooking the festivities, Homura Akemi eyed the crowd for the tiger girl, the one whose death would end a part of her nightmares. She had left Oktavia to hunt down the remaining seven members of the Strike Force, and she was sure the Witch would be capable of doing so.

Straining her vision, she finally saw a flame-headed girl tugging at a green-haired girl, sending the latter into the lake before jumping in herself. Could she be the one?

Stealthily, Homura leapt down from her vantage point, the Kazamino Tower, and crept towards the lake, keeping her eyes on the Fire-Singer.

 _Is she really the one?_ Homura questioned herself, feeling unsure of this. _What if I accidentally kill the wrong person?_ The assailants in her dream were generally faceless – she could only see their eyes, and their other physical features where always shifting, making it impossible for her to know who they were.

What if this girl was just an ordinary person, having fun here at the Water Festival..? But what if she really was the Pyromancer in her nightmares, and she willingly let her go due to uncertainty?

Hiding behind a building, but still keeping Tera within sight, she had a mental debate with herself about mindless murders and wanting to stay alive for the sake of Madoka. Surely, being safe than sorry would be a better option now, wouldn't it? Feeling increasingly delusional with every second, she finally made up her mind.

She will kill her.

Summoning her bow and arrows, she nervously placed a shaft onto the bowstring, telling herself that this was the right thing to do. Madoka needed her, and she couldn't afford to be killed by three unknown Puella Magi.

Then, the sight of something odd made her body go rigid with determination. All her doubts were erased when she saw the girl, all alone now, secretly breathing fire onto a mudball to harden it into a firm projectile. The soggy ball of earth dried up under the intense white flames that streamed out of her mouth in a fiery deluge.

No ordinary girl can breathe fire.

Heart steeling, Homura drew the bowstring tight and aimed at the unsuspecting girl's head.

 _One shot. One shot to end her madness…_

She let the arrow fly.

 **No matter how much I love you all, I am still cruel enough to make cliffhangers XD  
**  
 **And just saying, but Homura has her own reasons for acting the way she did in all the previous chapters. I somehow feel the need to make a character analysis here.  
Her wish was 'to meet Madoka again, but this time as the one protecting her, not the one being protected'. Her pain and suffering from failing to save Madoka from becoming Madokami, thus failing to protect Madoka from the unselfish sacrifice that she made, has made Homura snap. Also, remember that Homura was ready to commit suicide in her own Soul Gem so that Madokami will never have to descend and take her away to the Law of Cycles. She had done this to prevent Madokami from being captured by Kyubey.  
After her plans of suicide were foiled, and Madoka did come down to take her away, she couldn't do anything else anymore. If she were to really save Madoka from her Godly fate, she needed to tear away her humanity and do what a normal person wouldn't. She turned into the Demon, all just to break away Madoka's Godly power and bring back the normal Madoka.  
And now that Madoka is remembering her role as Madokami, she will stop at nothing to make sure that no one gets Madoka and allows her to revert to her Goddess form. Or else, all her work would have been in vain, once again. She has gone as far as making the Incubators create a fake city to put Madoka inside (modelled on her own experience in the Rebellion movie), and to create a powerful Fusion Witch to eradicate everyone who could possibly remind Madoka of her Godly purpose (the Puella Magi).  
Her mind is fractured from being forced to see her one and only friend die over and over again, and sometimes, at her own hands.  
Wouldn't you break if you were her?  
**  
 **~SaitheVivana**

 **Tera Exposed**

Wiping tears from her face (not that it cleared anything up) Tera winked at Shika, saying, "I'll show you something awesome, my amazing senpai. You're a Puella Magi, right?"

Shika drew in a sharp breath. "How did you know?"

"Easy." Tera pointed at the ring on Shika's finger, and held up her own. "It's obvious, isn't it?"

"You sure are observant…" admired Shika. Tera shrugged. "I'm not called a tiger for nothin', ya know. Now stand back a bit and watch this."

Baring her fangs in a grin, Tera brought a ball of mud to her lips and exhaled onto it slowly, and Shika was stunned to see steam curling out between her teeth.

"W-wha-?" stammered Shika, eyes widening.

"Wait for it, senpai," rasped Tera through her teeth. Small orange flames were now flickering, trying to escape from her mouth.

With a tiger-like roar, flames billowed out in a fiery deluge from within the scorching pits of the girl's throat, engulfing the mudball and half her hand. Shika yelled, startled.

 **A/N : Hey guys, just a heads up : this chapter was written in a crazy mood (after all those previous stressful chapters), it's meant for character exploration, with not much plot expansion (except near the end), and also for a celebratory purpose ^^**  
 **I want to thank all you lovely readers for supporting my story all the way, although updates are slow. Without you guys, I would have never reached the unbelievable highest rank of 20 in fanfiction. 20! (It's at 44 now, but whatever) XD Think of this chapter as my crazy happiness mood taking over, and my way of thanking you all ^^ With that said, I hope you enjoy this chapter~**

The pleasant sound of guitar strums floated around the humid air, accompanied by the soft humming of a beautiful voice. Under the summer sun, Tera Aido plucked at her guitar strings, playing the song, 'What do you mean', while her best friend, Rikka Sayuki, gave voice to the melody. They sat side by side on the ledge of the Kazamino School of Music and Arts balcony, which was overlooking the city, enjoying each other's company.

"What do you mean?  
When you nod your head yes  
But you wanna say no  
What do you mean?  
When you don't want me to move  
But you tell me to go  
What do you mean?"

As the last chords faded away, Rikka leaned her head onto Tera's shoulder and sighed contentedly. "It's so peaceful, don't you think so, Tera-chan?"

Her American-Japanese friend nodded, putting aside her guitar. "Such a day is hard to come by, huh?" she said, with a light American accent. "We should enjoy it while it lasts."

"Yes, we should..." replied Rikka quietly, nuzzling into Tera."Do you mind if I take a nap on your shoulder?"

Tera smirked. "What? Go to sleep on a ledge and risk plummeting to our doom?" She leaned back on the wide ledge, resting her back on the wall. "Sounds like a very exciting thing to do, actually. I can't object to that, now can I?"

As Rikka closed her eyes, Tera relaxed and allowed her mind to drift off, back to the past. Eight months ago, her life was hell. With Rikka falling into constant, dangerously low depressions that risked turning her into a Witch at any time, it was all Tera and Eruna, Rikka's younger sister, could do to make sure that she didn't succumb to the pain and transform. Kureha Chiaki, another close friend, also played her part by cheering everyone up when times were hard with her amazing musical skills. Give the girl any instrument and she would play it like a seasoned expert although she was only thirteen.

But Rikka had her reasons for being down. Her parents were killed after she had failed to protect them from a Witch's rampage, and Eruna, who wasn't a Puella Magi, could do nothing but watch helplessly as her parents were slaughtered before her eyes. Feeling like a failure to her family, Rikka started to have suicidal thoughts, and everything started to spiral downhill ever since.

And for Tera, her suffering was a hundred times worse than the others. But they didn't know what she had to go through to save Rikka. They would never understand, even if she were to tell them.

For who would believe her if she told them that she had experienced a month-long torture that kept restarting and replaying itself? Who would believe that she was 'stuck in the flow of time', forced to see Rikka fail to save her parents over and over again? And if she herself failed to bring Rikka out of the abyss of despair, she would be forced to witness Rikka transform into a Witch and kill her.

 _Over and over again._

Pushing the unpleasant thoughts to the back of her mind, Tera tried to dismiss her terrible month-long ordeal as a hallucination.

But she knew it wasn't one. It was real. As real as the sky, earth and wind. As real as her own two hands, which were given to her through her wish in return to becoming a Puella Magi.

She stared out into space, listening to the steady breathing of Rikka. Thankfully, time stopped repeating itself in the month that Tera had managed to save Rikka. If she had failed and Rikka had turned into a Witch... She wouldn't be able to face another day of life without ever forgiving herself.

One day, she will find an explanation as to why she was trapped in that month. She had to find out.

And she will punish the person who made her suffer like this.

Tera was rudely jolted out of her thoughts by Kureha and Eruna, who had ran into the room all a-clutter and were squealing at the top of their voices. "The Water Festival's today! It's today!" shrieked Kureha, bouncing onto the balcony to tug at Tera's shirt. "C'mon, Tera-senpai, we've gotta go now before we miss the opening at four thirty, and it's already four fifteen now!"

Rikka's eyes flew open and she almost toppled over the ledge in surprise. "K-Kureha-chan..! Don't go screaming like that, you almost turned me into flattened pancakes!" she reprimanded, trying to look stern. Kureha just giggled and flounced away, now grabbing Eruna's hand and heading for the doorway.

"C'mon c'mon c'mon! It's gonna start!" she tittered excitedly. "I'll get the pails with Eruna-chan, you two just make sure you turn up there quick!" And with that, she disappeared around the corner, dragging Eruna along, who was smiling in bewilderment.

Tera was stuttering in surprise. "B-b-but there wasn't any news about the festival! How can they just announce it like that?" She looked at Rikka with wide, feline eyes, as if her friend could give her an answer. "I know they change the date and time every year, but this is just crazy! They didn't even give prior notice!"

Rikka laughed sweetly, holding her friend's hands gently. Tera's heart skipped a beat, all the indignation in her evaporating. "We don't need to get all upset, Tera-chan. Maybe we accidentally missed the notice, who knows? After all, we'll still be attending it, won't we, my little tiger?" Rikka liked to call Tera 'tiger', simply because she looked and acted like one.

"Y-yeah... I guess you're right, senpai," shrugged Tera, averting her eyes from Rikka's angelic face, trying not to blush. "I'll... errr... just get some more pails, if you don't mind." She hastily got off the ledge and ran to the nearest bathroom, Rikka's touch still lingering on her hands.

"Goddamit, senpai," she muttered to herself, grabbing all the pails she could see. "Your gaze can be a little bit too intense sometimes, you know? Looking at your eyes are like looking into a frickin' abyss of no return."

"Tera-chan?" called out Rikka from outside. "Are you talking to yourself in the bathroom?"

She jumped violently, dropping all the pails. "E-e-eto...! N-no, I'm definitely not talking to myself, nope, not at all!"

Rikka laughed her angelic laugh, making Tera's knees go into jelly mode. "I'm pretty sure you're not, Tera-chan. You need me to go in there and help?"

"N-no need to, I'm fine, totally fine," she coughed, picking up the dropped pails and hurrying outside. "See, I've got it all under control."

"I am impressed!" exclaimed Rikka teasingly, poking at Tera's tough biceps. "By the way, have I ever told you that you have amazing muscles?"

Tera raised an eyebrow and said in a husky voice, playing along, "You have never yet told me that, my fair lady, and I am happy that you love my hideous biceps."

"Let's go, shall we, my handsome Prince Charming?" said Rikka, smiling.

"Yes we shall, my beautiful Princess," replied Tera flamboyantly. And off they went, joking with one another about biceps and pails.

"But I don't want to go!" wailed Shika, grabbing at the door post as Akira tried to pry her off. "It'll be loud, and confusing, and claustrophobic, and terrible, and we're gonna drown in the water-"

Akira gave an exasperated sigh, wrapping her arms around Shika's torso and finally heaving her away. "For the last time, Shika darling, you're _not_ gonna drown," said Akira firmly, turning Shika to face her. Her friend whimpered. "And you need to get out of your house. You've been locking yourself in here for the past three days and I'm pretty sure you'll die of inactivity first before anything else."

Yuki barked and wagged her tail, looking at her mistress with hopeful brown eyes. _'You need some fun, Shika, and I need it as well. But if you don't want to go, I can always chase Akira away for you.'_

"See, even Yuki thinks you need to go," beamed Akira, although she had no idea what Yuki had just said. Shika hid a snort of laughter by turning it into a very realistic sneeze. "Playing with water won't kill you Shika," continued Akira, "And looking at the state you are in now, you are in desperate need for some fun. You should just forget about the two of them and move on,it doesn't help to keep mulling over it."

Shika hung her head, suddenly very interested in the blade of grass near her foot, feeling the colour rise to her cheeks. Her classmates had always teased her for going to school in old uniforms and using old books and stationery. And three days ago, during a summer class project, they made up a nasty song about her. She had told herself to not take the lyrics to heart, but she found she couldn't. _Shika, Shika, timid little deer. Goes to school in rags, never has money for food, her only friend is a dog; emotionless person, all she feels is, well, nothing!_

She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling.

 _How did Akira find out?_

"You must be wondering how I know about this," said Akira, and Shika looked up at her slowly. "I'm your best friend, Shika. Honestly, don't think I don't know what's going on behind that shy mind of yours. You're mysterious and secretive, yes, but your actions are so transparent, someone who knows you well enough would see straight off the bat that something was up with you."

Shika gave a wry smile, asking softly, "Was it that obvious that I was suffering from depression and feelings of inadequacy...?"

"Yes it was, darling… At least to me, it was."

"God." Shika smiled sickeningly and looked away. "These thoughts are poisoning my mind. You're right, Akira, I need to go and have some fun and forget about things..."

Akira blinked. She never expected Shika to give in so easily, after all that screaming and tugging and convincing just half an hour ago. Seems like she finally hit a sore spot.

Not that she was proud of making her friend feel even worse than before...

"Shika..." said Akira tentatively, "Stupid question, but are you alright...?"

"I've never felt better," lied Shika, putting on a convincing smile. "Now, let's go to the festival before we miss the opening show."

Yuki gave a joyful yap and bounded out the gates, barking back, _"Meet you two there! I'm too excited to wait, haha!"_

"Wait, Yuki! You need-!" But her dog was already gone. "... a collar and leash..." she finished lamely.

"C'mon, grab them and we'll chase up with her. Fifteen minutes to the opening show, and the park is fifteen minutes away. Perfect," said Akira sarcastically. She made for the gates, then felt Shika's hand on hers, holding her back. She looked at Shika, seeing a genuine smile on her face now.

"Thanks, Akira... For always being there for me…" Shika murmured.

Without knowing why, Akira pulled Shika into a hug and whispered into her ear, "You know I'm always here for you. Don't be afraid to tell me what's wrong. After all, we're friends, and friends carry each other's burdens, right?"

"Yeah… We carry each other's burdens…" repeated Shika, hugging Akira back. "You're the best friend ever, Akira…"

Jostling through the crowd to look for Kureha and Eruna, Tera and Rikka arrived just in time to hear the host booming over the microphone, "And now, without further ado, let the Annual Water Festival begin! Activate the fountaaaaains!"

Three jets of water burst towards the sky from the middle of the lake of Kazamino Central Park, spinning and twirling around like intertwined snakes and sending spray everywhere. Water droplets hung in the air like crystals sparkling against the azure blue sky as the people gathered below oohed and aahed at the stunning spectacle.

But the main attraction was yet to come. The strong sunlight reflected into the spray, shooting rainbows across the whole lake in a beautiful formation of archways. Colours sprang to life over the surface of the lake, and the lotuses floating on it were bathed in iridescent rainbows. The jets of water twisted around and the rainbows followed, spinning in circles until the sky was a blur or colours.

Yuki, with collar around her neck, wagged her tail animatedly, catching droplets of water on her tongue. Shika, on the other hand, was lost for words, taking in the beauty that man and nature had worked together to create. It had been a very long time since she attended the Water Festival, the last being the year before her whole family had died off, and she had all but forgotten how beautiful the rainbows were.

She had also forgotten how wet this festival was, as the jets suddenly turned rogue and started to shoot everyone on the banks with lake water.

Shika ducked behind a few bodies just in time to save herself from being drenched, but Akira wasn't so lucky. She got a full blast of water in the face and toppled over Yuki, who was barking maniacally, tongue lolling out like a demented Shiba Inu.

Shrieking bodies gleefully pushed her about as the chaos of the Water Festival broke out. People rushed around, grabbing pails, water guns and water balloons, filling them from taps, hoses and even the lake itself. And very soon, the air was hissing with steam, streaked with water jets from the lake and flying water balloons exploding over random festival goers' heads.

Laughing happily, Shika evaded all the water that was being flung at her most skilfully, still miraculously dry even though everyone within a hundred-metre radius of her was sodden to the bone.

Water dripping from her long hair, Akira sloshed a whole pail-full of water over a woman's back, only to get a jet of water shot into her face yet again. Sputtering in glee, she scanned the throng for Shika, and soon saw her skipping amongst them, completely dry.

"That girl is unbelievable," sniggered Akira, refilling her pail with lake water, an evil glint in her blizzard-grey eyes. "Get ready for the biggest dousing of your life, Shika. Ahahahahaha!"

By now, Tera was soaked from head to toe in water. Eruna, Rikka and Kureha ragged her playfully, singing in mock off-key voices. "The Tiger is soaked, its fire put out; the cat is wet, it ears are turning red; Run right now, before it pounces; claws outstretched, rip you to piece _saaaaahhhhhh_!"

They broke into a perfect soprano scream as Tera grabbed a water gun from a little boy's hand ("Hey! Give that back to me!") and opened fire, spraying streams of high-pressure water at her gang. They shielded their faces at once, hopping on the spot while shrieking. Hooting uproariously, Tera tossed the gun back at the boy (accidentally hitting him in the head) and leapt towards the three girls, the flame of mischief dancing in her feline eyes.

" _This_ -!" she exclaimed, grabbing all three girls by the ruff of their necks, "Is for dunking three pails of water over my head!" With a powerful heave, she forced them to face the lake jets and shoved them into the heavy torrent of lake water, then let go as they were blasted off their feet into the muddy ground. "Hahaha! This is too amusing!" She chortled, slapping her thighs in glee as they glared at her in unison.

"Girls..." said Rikka, wiping muck off of her cheeks, "We've got a tiger to hunt..."

"Uh oh." Tera's smug look faltered and she started to back away from her three friends, who had acquired the garden hose by pure luck when they were shot down ("Oooh! Look what I found!" cried Kureha, wrenching a long hose from under Eruna's shoulders).

"Revenge is sweet, my little feline friend," purred Rikka as they found the nozzle of the hose and shot the water full in Tera's face. " _Fire in the hole_!" screeched Kureha, as Eruna doubled up next to her from laughing too much.

"Gaaaaaah! Bleeegh! S-stahp! Stahp ahahagaaakk!" whined Tera, floundering around with her arms flailing wildly. "W-water! Water in my nose! _Achoooooh_!"

Meanwhile, Shika was still amazingly dry. She had noticed her white-haired friend charging at her with a bucket in hand, the creepiest grin plastered on her face. Yuki was right next to her, jowls flapping and tongue flinging drool everywhere. Akira was hot on her heels, hell bent on making sure that Shika did not escape the festival unscathed.

"You can't run forever, Shika dear!" she called out.

"I _can_ , and you look like a sodden mess!" retorted Shika, snickering as she ducked behind a pillar, narrowly avoiding a water balloon.

"You are _such a cheek_ , darling!" marvelled Akira as a water gun shot her between her shoulder blades. "I'm surprised you have some amount of naughtiness in you, haha!"

Shika stuck out her tongue in such a childish way that Akira had to stop and laugh, clutching at a stitch in her side. Oh, just you wait, Shika! I will drench you with so much water, you'll - "She couldn't finish her sentence because a water bomb landed squarely on her head, muffling her shouts.

Tera had regained the upper hand, and she was bombarding her three friends with a bucketful of water balloons (that she had stolen from a little girl) from on top of a small hill, guffawing raucously. She turned away to avoid a shower of water from Kureha, and smashed right into Shika, who was sprinting away from Akira couldn't stop herself in time to avoid collision. The two crashed to the ground and rolled downhill in a flurry of grass.

"Hey, watch where you're runnin' at!" snapped Tera, groaning. Her eyes then landed on Shika's dry self, and she whistled in wonder. "Dammit, woman, you're still dry. How did you do that?"

Shika's deep-green eyes darted over Tera, taking in her weird clothes (exposed-shoulder crepe top, black leather skirt and combat boots) and unique looks: Fire-red hair, tiger-like amber eyes, stripes drawn over her face and arms... and were those _fangs_ in her mouth...?

"I... err... just evaded everyone," said Shika cagily, standing up and somehow feeling daunted by this tiger girl.

Tera knife-jacked to her feet and cocked an eyebrow at Shika, impressed. "Evading, huh? I could learn a trick or two from you... But surely, you won't be able to evade _me_..."

A creepy grin matching that of Akira's spread over the tiger girl's face as she gripped the green-head's wrists with astounding strength, startling Shika.

"W-w-wait!" yelped Shika, panicky. "What are you doing?!"

Tera's feline grin widened perilously. "I'm about to show you that you can't evade getting wet forever."

Shika gave a terrified squeak.

Tera surged towards the lake, muscles showing up like cords as she dragged Shika along with her. Shika, who was actually quite strong herself, couldn't react in time to resist Tera's sinewy strength as she was taken by total surprise.

"Let's go for a dip, stranger!" yelled Tera, simpering like a demon. With a last burst of fierce intensity, she pulled Shika forward and let go of her wrists, creating enough inertia to send the older girl plunging into the lake headfirst.

"Now isn't that a whole load of insane fun?" she smirked as Shika came up, spluttering and looking utterly shocked. "So fun that I think I'll join you down there!" And she leapt in after Shika, landing with a huge splash and sending a tidal wave over Shika's head.

"We shouldn't be in the lake!" cried Shika, wading towards the bank and looking remarkably like a panicked deer. "They'll catch us! We're breaking the rules-"

"Hey, hey! Calm down, woman, we ain't breakin' no rules, so there!" She put a sopping arm around Shika's shoulders, and the green-haired girl shrank visibly. "See there, the signboard says 'No Swimming Allowed', and technically speaking, we ain't swimmin' now are we? We're just havin' a good old dip."

Shika nodded slowly, telling herself that this was all a dream and that she would wake up soon enough and find herself in bed, not standing in the lake with a crazy girl.

"You're kinda rigid, ya know, all scared and terrified of breaking the rules and shit. You should learn to relax, stranger," said Tera nonchalantly. "And by the way, the name's Tera Aido, guitar and piano maestro, manga artist and master of mischief, but you can call me Tera. Nice to meet you!"

She stuck out a hand to Shika, who simply stared at it warily.

"Err... this is the part where you shake my hand and tell me your name, stranger," muttered Tera after a few awkward seconds, whispering out of the corner of her mouth. "Jesus Christ, you're dense, woman."

Shika grabbed Tera's hand and pumped it up and down over-enthusiastically, saying in a strangled voice, "Shika Kiyomizu, my name is Shika Kiyomizu. Nice to meet you, Tera-san, now if you excuse me I'll just get out right now and -"

"Shika Kiyomizu? Your name literally means 'deer' and 'pure water', right?" said Tera, eyes shining as she grabbed Shika, stopping her from getting away. "It's a nice name, and it suits you. You really are like a deer – shy and timid."

Shika gave Tera a weary, sideways glance. "I get that a lot, thank you."

"Well, deer, you've met your mortal enemy, the tiger. But don't worry, my bite is actually worse than my roar, if you get what I mean. And I only bite when I need to. I'm quite sure you're my opposite, aren't you?"

"I don't know if my bite or my bark is worse... Where is this conversation going to, if I may ask?"

Tera smirked. "Nowhere in particular. Hey, up for some mischief? You look like you could use some more fun in your life."

Shika gulped, not sure whether she should commit mischief with this girl. But whether she wanted it or not, Tera was soon dragging her further up the bank like a tiger dragging its prey to its doom. They waded behind a large weeping willow, now thoroughly muddied.

"I don't think we shou-" began Shika, but she may as well talk to the air for all she cared, as Tera had cut through her, her voice excited.

"We pick up mud from the base of the lake, pop out the side of this tree and fling them at people, then dart back behind and hide before they see us. Agreed?"

Shika opened her mouth to protest when Tera beamed disarmingly, her fangs gleaming. "Agreed! I knew you would agree, Shika-senpai!"

Before Shika could stop her, Tera plunged her hand into the water and brought up a ball of mud, flinging it hard at a random person behind the tree. The sound of a squelch and a surprised shout told them her aim was true.

"C'mon, senpai – you _are_ my senpai, aren't you? – have some fun!" she tossed another mudball into the crowd.

"Unless you're older than seventeen, then yes, I am your senpai. And... I'm not sure about this, Tera-san. It seems too... wild," said Shika, brows creasing.

"Exactly!" quipped Tera, "It _is_ wild, and what's life without a bit of wildness in it? And I'm definitely your kouhai because I'm only fourteen. So grab a mudball and join me! It's fun!"

"I will not do that!" huffed Shika stubbornly. "Never in a million years!"

 _*five minutes later*_

"This is the _best. Day. Ever_!" whooped Shika, hurling a massive mudball at an unsuspecting victim. He gave a gurgle and went down with a stupefied gawk. She ducked behind the tree and hugged her sides, laughing so hard that tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I told you it'd be fun!" cracked Tera, pounding her fist on the tree trunk in absolute mirth. "I swear to God, I'm gonna die from too much laughter, hahaha!"

They doubled over, laughing and clapping each other on the back like long-lost friends. Shika didn't know who she was anymore. Standing waist-deep in churned-up water, streaked with mud and wringing wet, she never imagined a day where she would just lose all her cool and go crazy.

But it felt good. Really good. This was the first time ever since eight months ago that she had felt any real joy, joy that was raw and potent and pleasing.

Giggling like primary school girls, they darted along the tall rushes, slapping heavy mud onto passers-by's shoes and tripping them. Snatching up an abandoned scoop, Shika filled it up with lake water and jumped out at the nearest person, sloshing all the contents over her.

She realised a second too late that the person she attacked was none other than Akira Oda, with Yuki next to her.

Yelping, half-scared, half-delighted, Shika dropped the pail and made to escape, but Akira had seized her by the collar, cracking into a grin. "I never knew you had a crazy persona, Shika Kiyomizu."

Throwing herself onto Shika, the two friends fell with a great squelch into the lake, yelling and screaming as they coated each other in mud. Yuki barked excitedly on the bank, not showing any signs of jumping into the fray.

" _Yeah! Gut her, Akira! Show her who's boss! Whoops, I'm supposed to supporting you, Shika, aren't I?"_

"Hey, I wanna join too!" declared Tera loudly. Without waiting for approval, she was soon engaged in the watery battle, and all three girls flailed and cudgelled the other with mud. It was ten minutes later before they all gave up, floating on the water like corpses while breathing heavily.

"Dangit, you both are strong," moaned Akira, her hair akin to a bird's nest. "I can get why Shika is strong though, she swings a huge mallet everyw-"

Shika gave an urgent hiss, and Akira shut up immediately. Tera looked at her suspiciously, but thankfully did not press the matter.

"So, your name, white girl?" asked Tera, proffering her hand to Akira, who gripped it without hesitation.

"Akira Oda. And you are?"

"Tera Aido, judo, karate and MMA master, not to mention lover of music and all things weird. Nice to meet you, senpai-of-senpai."

Akira furrowed her brows. "Senpai-of-senpai?"

"You are Shika-senpai's senpai, are you not? You look at least seventeen to me. Thus, senpai-of-senpai. Got a problem with that?" she challenged, licking her fangs.

"I'm eighteen, so yes, I'm the senpai-of-senpai. No objections, because you are totally right," said Akira, feeling awed that this girl wasn't intimidated by her at all. Usually, people would think she looked too imperious and scary to be talked to. But then again, it was hard to look intimidating when you were half-covered by mud, with fronds sticking out of your hair.

"Well then, senpai-of-senpai," (here, Akira snorted in disbelief) "and Shika-senpai, I'll be going back to my friends now to continue the watery assault," beamed Tera, hugging them both in a crushing embrace. "If you ever want to stay in contact, find me at the Kazamino School of Music and Arts. I'll usually be there, practising my piano and guitar. You two seem like awesome people."

Shika blushed. "A-awesome? Really?"

"Of course!" tittered Tera, "You just whacked a bunch of people with mud and water, and that makes you awesome, even though you're shy and timid as shit."

Shika flinched at the word. "You know, you should probably tone down on the profane language…"

Tera leapt onto the ground, shaking her head and smirking, "No can do, woman. I was raised with these words around me my whole life. It has become part of me." And she was gone.

Akira took Shika's hand, leading her out of the lake. "Weird girl, huh?" she remarked. "Anyways, let's go home now. We've had enough fun for one day, haven't we?" She flashed her with a kindly smile, and Shika's heart warmed right up.

Even if everyone looked down on her, made fun of her and thought her unworthy of making friends with, she still had someone to turn to. Akira was the closest thing she had to the family that she had lost, and therefore, she would cherish their friendship forevermore. Nothing and nobody would ever get in the way of their bond.

Shika attached the leash to Yuki's collar, and waved goodbye to Akira, water dripping off of her as she headed home. Akira would have walked her back herself, but her parents had insisted on having her meet the boy from the Ishida clan at six in the evening. It was already five forty-five.

 _Let him wait_ , groused Akira as she splashed clear water onto her face to clean off the mud. She usually valued punctuality, but this case was an exception. She absolutely hated that guy and he made her wish she was never born into the Oda clan.

Putting all things aside, Akira was relieved that she had made the right choice in getting Shika to the festival. She hadn't seen Shika laugh or smile genuinely since that fateful eight months ago, where her friend had suddenly distanced herself from her for seemingly no reason. She had tried to ask her what happened, but Shika always changed the topic, eager to not go into that discussion.

That day, after fighting Ciel, Shika had continued her story about Kyubey's plans to murder the Demon, saying that Homura was disrupting some sort of balance and needed to be killed. It was all fine that they knew they were fighting for a 'believably good' cause, but how can they commit to something they didn't know half the details about? Shika then described as much as she knew about Homura to Akira, but after that, she clammed up again. Akira was hoping she may start talking about that mysterious event eight months ago, but it seemed she would have to wait.

No matter. When Shika was ready to tell her, she would be there to listen.

***

From a high vantage point overlooking the festivities, Homura Akemi eyed the crowd for the tiger girl, the one whose death would end a part of her nightmares. She had left Oktavia to hunt down the remaining seven members of the Strike Force, and she was sure the Witch would be capable of doing so.

Straining her vision, she finally saw a flame-headed girl tugging at a green-haired girl, sending the latter into the lake before jumping in herself. Could she be the one?

Stealthily, Homura leapt down from her vantage point, the Kazamino Tower, and crept towards the lake, keeping her eyes on the Fire-Singer.

 _Is she really the one?_ Homura questioned herself, feeling unsure of this. _What if I accidentally kill the wrong person?_ The assailants in her dream were generally faceless – she could only see their eyes, and their other physical features where always shifting, making it impossible for her to know who they were.

What if this girl was just an ordinary person, having fun here at the Water Festival..? But what if she really was the Pyromancer in her nightmares, and she willingly let her go due to uncertainty?

Hiding behind a building, but still keeping Tera within sight, she had a mental debate with herself about mindless murders and wanting to stay alive for the sake of Madoka. Surely, being safe than sorry would be a better option now, wouldn't it? Feeling increasingly delusional with every second, she finally made up her mind.

She will kill her.

Summoning her bow and arrows, she nervously placed a shaft onto the bowstring, telling herself that this was the right thing to do. Madoka needed her, and she couldn't afford to be killed by three unknown Puella Magi.

Then, the sight of something odd made her body go rigid with determination. All her doubts were erased when she saw the girl, all alone now, secretly breathing fire onto a mudball to harden it into a firm projectile. The soggy ball of earth dried up under the intense white flames that streamed out of her mouth in a fiery deluge.

No ordinary girl can breathe fire.

Heart steeling, Homura drew the bowstring tight and aimed at the unsuspecting girl's head.

 _One shot. One shot to end her madness…_

She let the arrow fly.


	21. Chapter 19 : Conflict

The arrow deflected from Tera's head just a few inches from hitting her skull. It flew into the lake, spearing an unfortunate fish. The tiger girl didn't seem to realise that she was so close to being killed, and continued with her mudball prank.

Homura gaped in disbelief. _Did her dead-shot arrow just fly off into the water and hit a fish instead?_

Hurriedly, she nocked another arrow into the bow string, aimed and let loose. It flew true and straight, zipping towards Tera's exposed back. Again, at the last moment, the arrow veered off course and plunged into the water, lost, leaving Tera unharmed. Tera herself didn't seem to realise that arrows were raining upon her, joyfully hurling mud at passers-by.

Homura clapped her hand to the side of her head. _What was going on?_

Desperate now, she shot off arrow after arrow, only to see them fly off in different directions, never hitting Tera. Loosing the last arrow, she watched helplessly as it zipped away to the right, embedding its tip in the tree bark before disintegrating into purple dust.

"This cannot be..." she whispered to herself in disbelief. Slinging the bow over her shoulder, she slipped across the building she was hiding behind, sneaking towards Tera like a shadow. A small purple pocketknife appeared in her hand, and she gripped it tight.

If arrows didn't work, maybe a knife between the ribs would...

With her eyes glued on the tiger, who was now clambering onshore and meeting up with another three girls - her friends, presumably - Homura picked up speed, not wanting to lose her quarry.

But there was a problem.

By now, it was late, and the festival goers were already dispersing. There was little to no cover out in the open park, and she didn't want to be seen trying to assassinate the orange-haired girl. Muttering a string of curses, she hid the knife in her long sleeve and pretended to mile about the area, glancing frequently at Tera. She would have to lure her prey somewhere quiet and kill her when she was alone.

Homura decided to play the lost, frightened tourist.

She put on the best distressed face she could muster and walked up to the foursome meekly, calling out in a shy tone, "Err... E-excuse me, b-but do you k-know where Kazamino Rose Hotel is? I've just reached the city and I can't seem to find my way there..."

The four friends turned around, and saw Homura Akemi cringing before them like a trapped mouse. Rikka smiled kindly, and said, "Staying in the city? Well, the hotel is just past this road. Head straight up and turn left at the next junction, you won't miss the building - It's such a grand old place!"

Homura stammered slightly, "T-thank you. But, I'm afraid I'm not really good at directions, and I-I'll probably get lost..." Her large eyes roved over to meet Tera's, then, in a very convincing squeal, she grabbed the girl's arm and said in a whiny voice, "Y-you can take me there, c-can't you? Please?"

Tera rolled her eyes, scoffing as she shook off Homura hands. "Sure I can get you there, lady. Just don't..." her nose wrinkled slightly, "...Get all grabby."

Homura nodded vigorously, her eyes shining like as if she had found her saviour. "Oh, thank you so much, err..." She paused, looking uncertain. "Can I have your name?"

"It's Tera, Tera Aido. Mixed martial artist and guitarist extraordinaire," she grinned, holding her hand out to shake Homura's. "And yours?"

"I'm Kaen Ito," said Homura shyly as she shook Tera's. "Nice to meet you."

Tera beamed, her fangs glinting in the soft evening rays. "C'mon then, Ito-san. I'll get you there myself." She cocked her head at her friends, saying, "You guys go first, I'll meet you tomorrow at school, kay?"

Rikka nodded, taking Kureha and Eruna's hands. "We'll meet you there, Tera-chan. And have fun in our city, Ito-san!" She smiled one last time at Homura and Tera, then led the two younger girls off.

And thus, Homura Akemi manipulated Tera Aido to go with her alone... Presumably to her death.

Akira was still wet by the time she had reached the Kazamino Rose Hotel. That Ishida guy would just have to deal with a soppy date. However, she knew better than to walk into the building dripping water everywhere. She took out her phone and grudgingly called him.

"Hello, Akira-chan?" crooned Takahiro Ishida's voice down the receiver. "Are you here already? Need me to pick you up at the entrance?"

Akira exhaled slowly, her nostrils flaring in annoyance. She had told him not to add the '-chan' at the back of her name, but he wouldn't listen. "I'm here all right," she spat, not bothering to address him by his name, "But I won't be coming in cause I'm all wet from the Water Festival, so I'm sorry, but not so sorry, because we have to cancel th-"

"Nonsense! It won't be cancelled just because you're wet," Takahiro's laugh rang in her ears. "I'll come out with a towel. Just wait for me, babe."

She cut the line at once, grumbling as she slipped the phone into her wet pocket. She had hoped she could put off this infernal meeting, but it wasn't to be. And how dare he call her 'babe'? She would give him a piece of her mind when he came out...

She leaned against the wall of the hotel, looking at her scratched nails with a placid expression. The street was surprisingly empty, with most of the citizens probably at home already, taking hot baths to mark the end of the festival. She could have been one of them, but _no_ , she had to come _meet_ this guy and _talk_ with him.

Akira imagined herself giving Takahiro a few tight slaps for choosing today (of all days) as their date, grinning darkly to herself. What she wouldn't give to actually do that...

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed two figures walking towards the hotel. Both were girls, probably around fourteen judging by their heights. As they came closer, she saw that one of them was Tera Aido, whom she had just met minutes ago at the festival. Behind her was a girl with long, black hair and impassive eyes, whose expression turned from surprise at seeing Akira, to frustration, confusion, and finally anger. It all happened in a split second, but Akira had already seen and read her emotions.

The girl's reaction reminded her of a snake who was about to lunge at its prey, but lost it as the prey darted away before its astonished eyes.

In short, she looked murderous. Akira could feel herself going a bit uneasy.

"Hey, senpai-of-senpai!" waved Tera merrily. "Fancy meeting you here. What's up?" The black-haired girl behind her simply grunted.

Akira waved back, tucking a curl of hair behind her ear. "Just waiting for someone. What about you?"

Tera grinned coyly. " _Waiting for someone_? Who is it, senpai?"

Akira blushed, retorting, "None of your business, Aido-san."

The younger girl flounced around Akira, pouting, "Aww... C'mon, you can tell me. I can keep a secret, you know!"

""Just... Just- No," said Akira flatly. "Now what are you up to here? And who's your friend?"

Tera licked her fangs, smirking. "I'll let it drop then, but I'll find out sooner or later, Akira-senpai. Anyway, this is Kaen Ito, she's visting Kazamino and I'm just showing her where the hotel is." She shoved Homura in front of her, and said, "There ya go, Ito-san. Rose Hotel. Gotta scoot now, catch you two later!" She winked at Akira, mouthing, " _Have fun with him,_ " and dashed off hooting before Akira could catch her.

"T-that wild _thing_!" blustered Akira, feeling hot. She had just met Tera for a few minutes and the little girl had the nerve to tease her _and_ talk to her on a first name basis. Really, that girl needed manners. A hand then landed on her shoulder, and she flinched. It was Takahiro Ishida.

"Hey there, Akira-chan," he said in what he thought was a seductive tone.

She rolled her eyes. Here was another buffoon that needed manners as well. He draped the towel around her shoulder (without her permission) and took her hand (also without her permission). "I'll get you a new dress in the hotel's boutique, and we'll go for dinner in their restaurant, shall we?"

She shook off his hand and shot him with an imperious look that only she could pull off. He involuntarily wilted under it. "You do not make the orders around here, Ishida, _I do_. And I say I'll get my own change of clothes in there, and I'll meet you at the restaurant. Now go and get a table."

She was practically growling. Takahiro took off at once, shaking his head in wonderment. Such a powerful lady!

Meanwhile, Homura, impervious to their squabble, had to enter the hotel to make sure Akira didn't suspect her of anything. She slipped into the restroom and locked herself in a cubicle, gathering her thoughts.

Her perfect plan was foiled by this white-haired girl! If only she wasn't waiting by the entrance, Homura could have led Tera down the alley and slit her throat easily. And she couldn't go after Tera without making herself any more suspicious.

Her fist tightened. She'll just have to track her down...

Tonight.

A cold feeling washed over Luna all of a sudden. She knew something was wrong the minute she left Estella to Sayaka. They had all completely forgotten about the fact that the twins needed to be together to transform and fight should a Witch appear. Kyoko, who was walking beside her, noticed the crease between her brows, and asked, "What's up? Why the worried face?"

Luna decided that she could tell Kyoko about her worries. This red-haired girl was surprisingly calmer than Sayaka, and had more sense in her head.

"It's Stella," she said in a quavering voice. "I can feel that she's somehow in trouble. Maybe we should look for her and Sayaka..."

"You sure about this? We've still got half our allotted area to stake out."

"I'm quite sure." Her face was set with solid conviction. "Twins can feel each other on a spiritual level... More so for us, as we're connected by our wishes when we became Puella Magi."

Kyoko nodded. "Fair 'nuff. Let's go, then." She was secretly worried for Sayaka as well.

Oktavia von Seckendorf sat on her raised pedestal, arms raised as she commanded her Familiars to play the song, Ave Maria. Sweet violin music blasted around the auditorium as the many musicians took up their instruments, caressing the violin strings with their bows. She seemed to be enjoying it, moving her body along with the melody.

Estella, slumped over a spectator seat, stirred from her fainted stupor, groaning. Music filled her ears. Man, Homura could hit hard with that bow...

She wanted to get up and see where she was, but the instant she saw Oktavia, all the muscles in her body froze.

It was a Witch!

Every single nerve of her being screamed, ' _Stay still or you'll die, and so will Luna_ '. A rising panic was collecting in her chest - if the Witch saw and attacked her, she would be defenseless. She couldn't turn into a Puella Magi with her twin absent; such stupidity for not realising this!

And another horror was nagging at her. Sayaka was nowhere to be seen, and she suspected that she was either killed by the Witch, or had escaped without her. Although Sayaka had been nothing but a pain to her until today, Estella still hoped that her newfound friend had carried out the latter of her speculations - escaping without her.

Crouching behind the seat, Estella tasted the metallic tang of blood in her mouth. She put a tentative hand to her head and withdrew her fingers quickly as they touched a viscous, liquid substance.

Blood.

Shuddering with sudden fear, she hoped that Oktavia wouldn't see her. She would be hopeless against this Witch, and probably die within one second should she be caught out.

Oktavia gave another earth-splitting roar, then raised her hand, thrusting her broadsword forward. The violinists struck up a different melody - fast paced and eerie, and the whole auditorium gave a shudder and jolted, slamming Estella into the opposite seats. The floor jerked and she could feel the ground beneath her moving at an impossible speed.

The Australian clutched at the hand rests, steadying herself on the lurching floor. Her stomach gave an unpleasant twinge as she realised a sickening fact : The broadsword Oktavia was holding... It had belonged to Sayaka Miki.

Before she could make sense of what she just saw, the auditorium came to a screeching halt, throwing her off balance once again. Thankfully, Oktavia seemed too preoccupied with something else to see her, staring intently at the entrance to her music hall.

She was waiting for someone.

And with another unpleasant twinge, Estella became conscious that Luna was standing outside that very entrance, looking for her. There was no way to stop her. They'd have to fight their way out.

Kyoko was breaking out in cold sweat. Why did this Witch labyrinth give her a sense of déja vu? It was like a foggy memory trapped beneath layers of ice, frost-bound and hazy...

 _Where had she seen this place?_

Luna saw Kyoko's unsteady stance, and bit her lower lip in apprehension. If a veteran like Kyoko was feeling scared about facing this Witch, what more a rookie like herself? But face it she had to, because she was absolutely sure that her twin was inside.

"Ready?" came Kyoko's voice. There was a hint of uncertainty in it.

"Ready," confirmed Luna, holding out her Soul Gem. She would have to get to Estella and transform quickly.

The duo rushed at the doors, with Kyoko smashing them down with her spear. And a grand, fearful sight awaited them.

Perched on her pedestal like a royal knight, the Mermaid Witch glared down at them, surrounded by a hundred Familiars playing the violin. Her scaled tail swished back and forth erratically as she raised her arms, swinging her swords. An ugly roar erupted from the depths of her corrupted being; she whirled around them in dizzying circles, challenging them.

Kyoko hefted her spear meaningfully, addressing Luna. "Find Estella and transform, quick! I'll hold her off as long as I can." Luna dashed off at once, heart throbbing with painful yearning for her sister.

Oktavia's orchestra launched into Symposium Magarum, setting the Witch into a frenzy. With a downward sweep of her broadsword, a score of large wheels materialised in the air, hovering for a second or so before homing in at Kyoko with a sentient malice. The Puella Magi deflected them all with an increasing befuddled feeling.

 _She had done this before... She had once killed this Witch... She had once fought alongside this Witch as well..._

Oktavia unleashed another wave of wheels, and Kyoko called up her warding spell. Chains of red diamonds crisscrossed in front of her, making the wheels bounce off harmlessly against them. Frustrated,the Witch gave a distorted screech, and her Minions, Holger, upped the volume of Symposium Margarum, deafening Kyoko. Oktavia's broadsword glinted dangerously as she raised it once again, screaming.

Screaming in Sayaka's voice.

Sayaka... This Witch was _Sayaka_.

Horrorstruck, the warding spell broke away under the force of the last wheel. Unable to keep a steady mind, Kyoko faltered with her spear, allowing a wheel to smash into her right side, ripping apart her flesh and splattering blood across the tiled floor. Gasping in pain, lights exploded in her eyes as she struggled to stay upright.

The only thing on on her mind right now was _: Sayaka had turned into a Witch..._

Raising her head woozily to look at the features of Oktavia, Kyoko felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes.

 _It can't be... We were just chatting so happily today. What happened, Sayaka? What happened?!_

Oktavia gave her a blank stare, Sayaka's sword gleaming evilly in her hand. She swung it hard, and it would have been the end for Kyoko had not Estella, fully garbed in her battle outfit, rushed by and pushed her to the ground. The sword's cruel edge whooshed above their heads, missing them by inches.

Kyoko's vision was blurred with agony and tears. _Estella... Was this Estella? She would know what happened to Sayaka._

 _"_ Estella, what happened while we were gone?" cried out Kyoko, fear gripping her like a vice. "Where's Sayaka?!"

Instead, Estella was too focused on the Witch to pay any attention to Kyoko's questions. "Lay low, Luna will heal you," said Estella, her double headed sword held tightly in her right hand, "Questions later, survival first!" The Berserker launched herself at Oktavia's revolting face, her sword spinning like a blender blade.

Luna hurried up to Kyoko, passing her hands across the gaping wound on her friend's side. It closed up slowly, making fleshy sounds. Kyoko exhaled in relief. Swaying slightly as she stood up, she told Luna, "Back us up. We've got a Witch to kill."

There was something deadly about her tone that made Luna's blood run cold.

Bellowing like a bull out of control, Kyoko launched herself at Oktavia's chest, her spear trailing behind her like a scorpion's tail poised to strike. With a mighty yank downwards on the handle, the spear head launched itself straight for the Witch's heart, whirring with fierce intensity. "Whatever you've done to Sayaka, you _Witch_ , you will _pay_!" she screamed, voice breaking.

Oktavia didn't think so. With a simple sweep of her arm, she buffeted Kyoko into the spectator seats, and she crashed into a group of Holgers, killing them at once. The volume of Symposium Margarum dropped audibly, and the Witch gave an annoyed hiss. She seemed to sway a little on her pedestal before gathering herself and coming back to the battle.

Kyoko's mind made a quick association : Loud music equals to stronger attacks, therefore, no music equals to helpless Witch.

"Kill her minions," she ordered the twins, who were flanking her - Luna channeling silver energy to patch up the gash on Kyoko's arm. "Without them to play her music, she'd be weaker!"

The Berserker and Healer complied without a word, hacking away at the Holgers until none was left. The music stopped abruptly as the last minion's head rolled off its neck and fell to the ground. Kyoko took this opportunity to rush the Witch, releasing the joints of her spear so that it started to coil around her like a golden snake.

Then, Estella was by Kyoko's side in an instant, zoning in onto one of the Witch's eye holes. Her blade was stained with the blood of Oktavia's Familiars, and without her music, the Witch became enraged and unsteady. Kyoko's spear tip was leveled at the Witch' chest, ready to strike like a cobra.

The two weapons clashed as one into the Witch's armour; Estella penetrating into her eye, Kyoko forcing the spear tip to bash the protective layer around her heart. Oktavia screamed, her arms twitching convulsively by her side as she tried to swat Estella out of her face. The Puella Magi hung on like a leech, somehow avoiding the heavy hands of the Witch. The dual-headed blade was embedded deep within her eye socket, and with each twist of her head, Oktavia drove it deeper still.

With the Witch occupied with Estella, Kyoko drew herself up to Oktavia's chest by shortening the handle of her spear, carrying her upwards. She landed upon the chest of Oktavia, outraged and rankled. The red-head's very soul was blazing with untamed fury; the anger within her was powerful.

" _Die! Dieeeee_!" she screeched as she yanked out the spear head and forcefully plunged it back in. " _Dieeeeeee!"_ Over and over again, she stabbed Oktavia von Seckendorf, and even the Witch's breast armour couldn't withstand the raw power of the one who had just lost her most important friend in the world. It gave way like crumbling earth, and Kyoko's spear hit the Witch's tender flesh.

With a wild energy, she swung her spear around her body, cumulating it into the final attack. The chains rattled as she whipped forward, the impetus sending the masses of chain and spear head ramming into the Witch's heart.

Oktavia didn't even stand a chance. Wailing in that horrible Sayaka-like voice, she gave a violent shudder, and both Estella and Kyoko leapt off of her, landing before a very stunned Luna. That was the first time Luna had seen such a powerful combination. The two of them had defeated the Witch easily, without sustaining so much as a single scratch.

The Mermaid Witch's swords crashed into her pedestal, breaking it in half and sending Oktavia falling through it to her death. The labyrinth shimmered and wavered, and dissipated slowly into nothingness, replaced by a row of houses standing innocently in the dying rays of evening light.

And Sayaka was no more.

Oriko sighed. She should have did some research before racing into this city, thinking that everything would go to plan and that they'd find a few Puella Magi here. But, her lack of forethought, which was rare enough, made them waste a whole day here in Kazamino.

The annual Water Festival was the reason why the streets were deserted and why her Soul Gem didn't manage to pick up any signals - crowds of bodies tend to override detectable magical energy. In other words, the magical wavelengths that normally came off of Puella Magi were interfered and could not be discerned.

Having already called Mami to come back to the station, she tried once again to call the twins, or Kyoko and Sayaka, but none of them were picking up their phones. Yuma and Nagisa tugged at her skirt, asking when the others were going to arrive. Oriko gave them a strained smile, and checked her watch. It was five past six. "Not long now, girls. Just be patient."

Soon enough, Mami and Kirika came around the corner, with the latter grinning like a raptor. "Guess what, Oriko?" chirped Kirika. "We bumped into a Brocken-Wraith and its gang and got these!" She waved a large Grief Cube in Oriko's face, while Mami held up a few dozen Grief Cubes wrapped in a piece of cloth.

"We caught them off guard," explained Mami, handing over the pack of cubes to Oriko. "It was over before they even realised we were there."

"On the other hand, we didn't manage to find any Puella Magi in our designated area. The whole town just seemed... empty."

Oriko nodded, then replied, "I didn't expect any at all, seeing as today was the Water Festival." She then told them about the wavelength interference and why they couldn't detect any Puella Magi. Kirika groaned, while Mami sighed and folded her arms.

"We'll just have to come back on another day," said Nagisa encouragingly. "We've still got time."

Oriko beamed. "Yes. Good idea, Momoe-san. When the other four arrive, we shall go back to..." Her face suddenly went pale. Before her astonished eyes, Kyoko, Estella and Luna staggered up to them, with Kyoko sobbing uncontrollably and the twins looking shell-shocked.

"She's _dead_!" wailed Kyoko, collapsing into Mami's arms. " _Dead!_ I _killed_ her!"

Confounded, Mami tried to placate Kyoko. "Who's dead, Sakura-san? Please, get yourself together and tell us what happened." Desperately, she looked at the twins for help.

Luna licked her dry lips, eyes staring straight ahead, saying in an empty tone, "Sayaka Miki is dead. Homura Akemi came and did something to her. She then transformed into a Witch and... we had to kill her."

There was a pin-drop silence. Yuma gave a terrified whimper and clutched at Kyoko's jacket. Her senior was still sobbing into Mami's chest; strong, brave, irrepressible Kyoko, who never shed a tear, was crying like a month-old baby, and nothing could seem to make her stop.

There was no question as to what they should do now. They quietly headed for the Kazamino bus stop, where a conductor was already calling for the last boarding passengers. The subdued Strike Force took to the bus roof and took their seats, Kyoko hugging Yuma tight and letting her sit on her lap. The young girl had never seen Kyoko look worse than this, and she was worried for her.

No one spoke. No one dared breathe a word about Sayaka. And no one suggested that they should ever come back again. However, just as the bus set off, Mami's ring pulsed in the way that indicated a Puella Magi, besides her friends, was nearby. Confused, she looked around her, and saw four girls passing the station, laughing and chatting happily. Each of them, save one with long, sky blue hair, had a runic ring glinting on their middle fingers.

They were Puella Magi.

Mami bit her lip. Should she tell the others? But seeing their stricken faces, she decided not to. Maybe it would be a better idea to keep a low profile and not go about hunting for Wraiths and Puella Magi, now that they knew Homura was out to kill them.

And so, the party departed for Mitakihara, leaving behind the memory of the tragic knight, Sayaka Miki.

Homura had witnessed the chastened mood of the Strike Force as they left for home, and she felt a sense of accomplishment. They were scared of her now, no doubt, and they would think twice about disobeying her the next time they met. It was a pity though, that Oktavia hadn't managed to kill Kyoko and the twins. That would mean less of a burden to her.

With Tera Aido and the remaining two Elemental Puella Magi to hunt down, and with the stress of having to keep Oriko and her force under control, Homura was near breaking point. There was also the issue that the Incubators may be scheming something without her knowledge. She made a mental note to eavesdrop on them as frequently as possible. Who knows what secrets they were hiding from her.

Feeling stiff and suppressing the urge to cry from all the pressure she was getting, Homura just wanted to go home and sleep, but she knew she had to get rid of Tera first. _Cut off the head of the cub before it is given a chance to grow into a tigress_ , she thought.

She slipped into an alley and unfurled her raven wings, muttering an enchantment to render herself invisible to the human eye. Flapping them easily, she took to the air, flying towards her apartment in Mitakihara. Homura knew better than to take on the Tiger without a backup plan.

She would need to get to the Incubators' lab first...

Shika was lying in bed with Yuki curled up next to her. It had been an uneventful week, with no Witches or Wraiths, and her Soul Gem was nowhere near corrupted. Thinking back about the Water Festival today, she gave a little smile. It was a good thing that she gave in to Akira and followed her to the event.

Her neighbour's grandfather clock struck eleven times. It was one hour away from midnight, and yet, she still couldn't fall asleep. Something was bugging her, keeping her from descending into the veils of slumber.

 _Tera Aido_... Something was different about that girl. There was a vibe pulsating off of her that reminded Shika of fire. Red, hot fire.

Kyubey's words came back to her, his cute voice haunting. " _Look for the third one, also residing in Kazamino. Disobey me and know the consequences_."

Come to think about it, it had been a very long time since she had seen the white Incubator. Hopefully, he had forgotten about her. She didn't want to get mixed up in any alien-war they may be waging against this Homura Akemi person.

But... Could Tera be the one? The third Elemental that Kyubey and his Incubators were searching for all this time?

She shook her head. It must be her imagination. Moreover, it was late, and she was tired and probably just hallucinating.

Reaching out for her phone, she dialed Akira's number. Her friend would still be awake, working on some science project that her college gave her for her semester break. Shika wanted to ask her whether she was free tomorrow, and would she accompany her to look for Tera? She felt that the young girl would have an important part to play in the future, and that their fates were somehow intertwined.

But as the line went through, and Akira's voice came down the receiver, "Shika dear? You're still awake?"...

Two glowing red eyes popped up at the window. White fur could be seen glistening under the waning streetlamp. A fluffy tail twitched agitatedly.

"Shika Kiyomizu." The Incubator's sharp squeak was unmistakeably trembling. "I expect you to find the third Elemental Puella Magi by tomorrow morning. You, Akira Oda and the Puella Magi's life depends on it. Find the Pyromancer and deceive the Demon, or you will all fall!"

Before Shika could grab him, he had leapt off the window sill and scampered away. Yuki woke up with a startled bark and snarled as she saw the receding form of Kyubey. She made to bound after him, but Shika had put a hand at the scruff of her neck, saying a firm, "No."

There was no trickery in the cat's voice. No sugar-coating.

It was filled with fear, an emotion that never came to these poker faced beings.

Shika got out of bed, pulling on a trench coat, and Yuki ran to the door and opened it cleverly, hackles rising. Girl and dog ran out of the house, and Shika rammed the phone into her pocket, silencing it, call forgotten.

On the other end of the line, Akira was surprised and concerned at the way Shika had ended the call. She hadn't said anything, but before the connection was cut off, Akira had heard scuffling sounds, Yuki's frantic barking and Shika's voice saying "No".

She redialed her friend's number for a good six times, but she didn't pick it up once. Now worried, she closed her books and shoved her papers into a file, tossing all her stationery into a case and throwing the whole lot into her satchel. She ignored the butler's cries to not go out, took her car keys from the mantlepiece in the living room and drove promptly to Shika's house.

Studies could wait. Friends always come first.

The wind was rushing in Shika's hair as she rode Yuki, heading to the Kazamino School of Music and Arts. Once there, they crept past the night guard and entered the building from the back.

"You can detect Tera's scent and follow it to her home, can you?" whispered Shika. Her dog nodded and wagged her tail, then closed her eyes and concentrated hard. There were a million smells in the air, but that brief meeting with Tera today was enough to leave a faint imprint in her mind. In no time, the faithful Shiba Inu had sniffed out Tera Aido's locker. Memorising her scent - smoke and rosewood, the two of them were soon zipping across the city , heading straight for Tera.

What was waiting for her there? Why did Kyubey want her to find the third Puella Magi so urgently?

Shika was taking a gamble, betting all her hopes that Tera would be the Pyromancer that he was talking about. She was scared out of her wits, but she needed to control this emotion. She had been controlling her emotions very well all this time, and she can't let it overwhelm her at such a critical moment.

She needed to find Tera and resolve the mystery of the Elemental Trio that the Incubator was always telling her about. Besides, he had warned her that their lives were in danger if she didn't take immediate action.

And such important things cannot wait till morning.

They had to be done now.


	22. Chapter 20 : Rebellious Discussions

**A/N : It is quite hard to write an entire chapter based on the Incubators =_=''' They are supposed to be emotionless beings, but if I accidentally gave them any sort of emotion or other... well.** **Also, for a heads up, this will be a relatively _complicated_ chapter..**

Night was falling over a huge, crystal dome that housed the Incubators' meeting area. Two cats were stationed at the entrance to ensure that non-Incubators (which was a certain Demon) didn't crash the assemblage. The pale moonlight washed over the many hundred alien cats, all gathered around a circular stage. They were twitching their ears, their eyes following the movement of an Incubator who was striding up towards the podium on-stage, his steps firm and strong, yet lithe.

This Incubator was like no other. His fur was of the deepest, royal purple, a black gradient working up his supple back. His slanted eyes were like glittering amethysts, dancing with enigma. His tail was held high proudly, spiked and brushed in such a way that it resembled the tail spikes of a dragon. But what really separated him from the other Incubators was his size. He was as large as a medium-sized husky, and had a ruff of black fur around his head that made him akin to a lion.

And when he spoke, no one was to interrupt. They were to listen, and only listen.

Standing confidently on the centre of the stage, without any hint of uneasiness, he opened his fanged mouth and said in a deep, rich tone, "Incubators! Just this morning, I have returned from a lost journey, returned from a few millennia of wandering. A warm welcome I did get, and I thank you for that, but to the topic of my speech..."

His eyes glinted dangerously, the tortured ghosts of his past adventure flitting in his irises.

"...I am here to aid you in the disposal of the Demon, Homura Akemi."

The effect of the name was instantaneous on the Incubators. There was an excited ripple of whispers, followed by agitated waving of their ear extensions. It was obvious that the topic of Homura animated them.

"Silence, my comrades," said the purple Incubator calmly, without raising his voice. No one disobeyed. They fell silent at once under his saturnine gaze.

"Before I get on to the topic, let me do a recap our history, for it would be essential to explain my disappearance... Maintaining the world's entropy has always been our cause, our one and only objective," he said solemnly. "At the beginning of time, when the Incubator quartet came into being, they knew at once that their task was to ensure the balance of the universe's energy. They were the Contractor, the Architect, the Researcher... and the Warrior."

The Incubators sat up rigidly, absorbing every single word dutifully. Although they had heard the story of their beginning countless times, this was the first time they were hearing it from the great Warrior himself. Ryubey had disappeared since the day Kyubey found Earth, and had now returned mysteriously.

"The Architect, Vyubey, laid the foundations of the nation we now live in, providing us with equipment, housing and technology. The Scientist, Xyubey, discovered ways of maintaining entropy through large surges of emotional energy, something which we are not capable of producing. The Contractor, Kyubey, then used this information to search for suitable life forms to which we can use to harvest said emotional energy. The Warrior, I, accompanied him to every corner of the universe, keeping his frail body safe from enemies and harm so that he may be unscathed and ready to form contracts with whosoever we may find suitable for the task. Eventually-"

An orange-furred Incubator raised his tail high, interrupting, "I have heard myths of you, Ryubey. You were the most powerful Incubator of all, being able to take down alien foes with just a swipe of your claws. If what I heard were true, then why have you disappeared after the discovery of Earth and left us to defend ourselves from the wrath of humans?"

A wave of chatters swept across the audience. The orange Incubator was right. Why did Ryubey abandon them for more more than a millennia?

"These girls from Earth..." continued the Incubator, "...they're far more powerful than us, being able to wield weapons and magic once a contract is formed. Yes, it was only recently so that one of them, the Demon, managed to conquer us, but throughout the years that you were gone, it was all up to Kyubey to ensure that the girls obeyed him without question. Some girls bowed to our might, some rebelled against us after the truth of their wishes came through, leaving many of Kyubey's duplicates dead. If Xyubey hadn't thought of creating dispensable bodies for the Contractor, the game would be over. No more contracts would be made - entropy would reign and consume us all... So here is my question : Why have you left us, and why do you choose to come back now? We need answers."

Here, Ryubey's amethyst eyes shone perilously, as if recalling a time where his life was once full of excitement and wonderment. He licked his fangs slowly, as if challenging the orange Incubator. The latter wilted under his intense stare.

"The whole point of this speech of mine is to explain precisely what you are asking. If you would be patient and just listen, I would really appreciate it," he said graciously. The orange cat lowered his head and mumbled a 'sorry'. Ryubey gave him a thin smile, and continued.

"Eventually, after many years of searching, Kyubey and I came upon the planet Earth. Here, we discovered 'humans', an alien race capable of experiencing emotions. Kyubey exerted his powers upon the young women there, finding that they were more susceptible to emotional flux compared to the males. In return for a single wish, they were given the power to wield magic and destroy Witches, an entity that would be their final fate, and through this process, entropy is released. I saw that the humans were still in the early stages of development - nothing much of a threat. So, I left Kyubey in charge of Earth, fully confident of his abilities, while I scoured the rest of the universe for similar beings. I told him, should he need any help, call for me and I will come."

"On my journey though, I was caught in a wormhole and transported to a region to the likes of oppressive emptiness. No matter existed there, neither was there any anti-matter or dark matter. I was the only form of matter, and the greedy nothingness sought to keep me in its claws forever. How long was I trapped there, I had no idea. All I knew was that my duty was being shirked, and I had no right to float in a place with no time and space, doing nothing."

Here, he raised his proud head high, declaring, "And so, I fought against the gravitational pull of falling into a dead stupor. You see me here now, because I have won against nothingness, against all the odds. I knew then, after my escape, that looking for another universe was now out of the question, and I should return to my home planet. It took me years to locate where you all were, but find you I did. It is time I took up my responsibility once again as Warrior, and protect you from the threat of Homura Akemi. Rest assured, she _will_ be taken care of."

A loud smattering of applause met these words. But Ryubey had one last thing to say.

"My comrade, Kyubey, who is unfortunately on Earth to monitor the Puella Magi, Shika Kiyomizu, has done and endured more than enough - he is indeed more of a Warrior than I am. For that, I am very ashamed."

The next thing he did shocked the audience. The great Incubator bowed his head and extended his clawed ears before him. A gesture of deep apology and humbleness, something which wasn't expected from someone like him.

"With that said, I now give the stage to Xyubey. Please, enlighten us about your latest findings so that I may formulate a plan for war."

The sable furred Incubator took to the podium. Being a no-nonsense character, he went straight to the point. "Thank you, Ryubey. Now, as we all know, Homura Akemi is plotting to kill all the Puella Magi in this world, for reasons of which are unknown to us so far. She has made this obvious, through reports sent in from our scouts, that she is threatening the Puella Magi's lives by speeding up the corruption of their Soul Gems. Also, just today, there was a killing of a Puella Magi, Sayaka Miki, who consequently transformed into a Witch and was set upon her own friends."

"It is true that the Demon is indirectly helping us to gather entropy by making the girls fall into despair three times faster, but in the long run, this is not going to help matters. We are secretly trying to make contracts with other girls to replace those lost at the hands of Homura, but Kyubey hasn't been able to do so due to very strict observation and on threat of imminent death by the Demon. We are losing entropy at an alarming rate, and nothing can replenish it."

Xyubey paused, taking in the reaction of his fellows. The Incubators shuffled nervously. The extent of their problems was so vast, they weren't sure if they could ever rectify it. Ryubey, though, maintained a calm mien, and gestured for Xyubey to resume his speech. Encouraged, the Researcher continued.

"Another confounding subject that I will bring to light is the building of the Fake Mitakihara City to house a seemingly innocent Madoka Kaname. Vyubey was also asked to implant a fake Madoka into the real world to fool those around her of her absence. Also, she has commanded the synthesis of the Mega Witch, of which has not yet Actualised. We have no idea as of yet what she plans to do with it, nor do we know why she is hiding Madoka Kaname in the fake City. However, we speculate that all of this has something to do with the entity, 'Madoka Kaname' herself."

"Before I get to the topic of 'Madoka Kaname', I will voice the concerns related to the Mega Witch. So far, it is still a deformed lump, and shows no sign of life aside the times when it goes into a short rampage. Fifty good Souls were put into that Witch, and if it fails to Actualise, Homura will order for it to be detonated. And even if it does Actualise, once it carries out her bidding, she will detonate it otherwise. By doing so, the energy trapped inside the Witch will be wasted, because the bomb within it harnesses the immense amount of energy of the Witch itself to be set off. There was no other way to ensure the complete destruction of the Witch besides using its own energy to destroy it. According to my calculations, to compensate for this huge amount of energy loss, one would have to destroy planet Earth to get it all back. It is definitely very unsustainable and irrational."

At this, Ryubey raised his tail, saying, "If that were the case, why did you allow for the execution of such a ridiculous plan? Why didn't you challenge her?"

Xyubey cringed slightly at his accusatory tone. "We had no power to disobey her. To not follow her orders means treason and death, and I assure you, my value as a Researcher is too much for me to be killed. We are far too weak to oppose her."

The Warrior nodded. "I understand. Excuse me for my lack of sensitivity, for I have been away from company for a millennia. Please, continue."

"As you wish," said Xyubey impassively. "I shall now move on to the anomaly of 'Madoka Kaname'. This has been an ongoing project ever since the start of the creation of the fake Mitakihara. When Vyubey was tasked with the duplication of Madoka, I managed to obtain some DNA samples from her, and here, I made a very interesting discovery. Within the DNA sequencing, I found a genome in which neither other human nor Puella Magi had, meaning to say, that certain genome was foreign and inhuman. I compared it with a thousand other human subjects, but failed to find any match. But here is the interesting part..."

Xyubey raised his ear extensions above him and spread them wide. A hologram formed between them, and the Incubators could see a diagram of a DNA strand with the profile of Madoka alongside it.

"See here," he indicated, by making the concerned nucleotides glow bright blue, "this sequence is an anomaly, and you wouldn't find it in any other person. However, look at this comparing sequence..." A new strand of DNA appeared below Madoka's, and this time, Homura's profile appeared next to it. The same nucleotide sequence was highlighted again in bright blue. Both girls shared that one, similar sequence. Ryubey's eyes narrowed visibly, his mind working at the speed of a computer processor.

"Are you saying," growled Ryubey, "that Madoka Kaname shares the same genetic sequence as Homura Akemi, and thus, shares the same, unknown ability as the Demon?"

"On the spot, my Warrior. It is indeed true that Madoka and Homura share this unique gene. But on a closer look..." Xyubey enlarged the hologram of the DNA strands, so that only the highlighted part was showing. "Comparing the exact sequence though, Madoka has adenine in the third nucleotide, whereas Homura has a mutated form of adenine, which I coined as mysterine due to the mysterious aura that comes off of it. This small difference may mean a lot, but as of yet, I have no idea what the effect of mysterine is on Homura herself. I can only guess that it is directly linked to her magical powers. But if that were the case, wouldn't the other Puella Magi have them too?"

Leaving his question hanging, Xyubey stopped the hologram and lowered his ears, saying, "This is definitely a puzzle, but have faith. I will unravel this mystery in due time. The final point of my speech would be that of why Madoka Kaname is an anomaly in itself."

"Going through all the records of human history, I couldn't find a single piece of information relating to the existence of Madoka. Not even the records of her birth in Mitakihara City to Tomohisa and Juno Kaname could be found. Not of her life, not of her career, not of her marriage, not of her death. _Nothing_." He shook his head to emphasise the point. "While Homura Akemi is still remembered and accepted even though she has ascended to the status of Goddess, with her own history traced into mankind's, Madoka's cannot be found anywhere. Yet, in this world, everyone accepted her existence and saw her as _real_ and _concrete_ , even though she was never meant to exist. Do you get what I'm trying to convey here?"

Ryubey stood up, his mane glistening purple. "You are implying that Madoka Kaname doesn't exist, yet she exists at the same time, and thus, her very existence is a paradox and an anomaly. Am I right, my fellow Researcher?"

"Correct once again, Ryubey," said Xyubey, impressed by his comrade's speedy thinking. "Now isn't that an enthralling point to discover? If only I could get my paws on the real Madoka Kaname, I would have dissected her for further research... The possibilities are endl-"

"Now, Xyubey, don't you get overexcited about the prospect of cutting up a precious specimen." All heads whipped around to the source of the new voice. It was Kyubey. The white Incubator padded over to Ryubey, acknowledging the Warrior's presence. "Ryubey. Nice to meet you once again after all these years."

"The same goes for you, my white friend," nodded Ryubey. "But reunions can wait, business first. I believe you have news?"

"Indeed I do. Xyubey, if you are done?"

The sable Incubator bowed and left the stage, while Kyubey bounded up in one fluid motion. "With the prospect of Madoka the anomaly, solving it would clearly help us in our mission to maintain the world's entropy. I trust in you, Xyubey, to unravel the mysteries of this mutated gene, and perhaps shed light on the entity 'Madoka Kaname'."

Xyubey puffed out his narrow chest, proclaiming, "I will do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of this. Excuse me now as I go to resume my research." He scampered off in a hurry, muttering things about phosphate groups and complementary bases.

Going back to the meeting, Kyubey steered the audience's attention to his current endeavor on Earth. "Shika Kiyomizu and Akira Oda would have been familiar names here by now, but I am going to recap what I've discovered about them for the benefit of Ryubey."

"Ever since the first contract I made with a human girl, the number of Elemental Puella Magi that have been birthed are not many. There were only so few as a eighty-seven of these girls in a span of four thousand years. These Puella Magi are of a different calibre. Often times, they are born into great families, attached to a great many karmic lines of destiny. These girls were the catalysts of change in their era, and they were immensely powerful. The Elements within them aided them in their quest for greatness, and they often succeed. No deaths by Witch attacks have been reported for them, indicating that they are more than capable of holding their own against the Witches. Also, they are the longest-lived Puella Magi, compared with normal ones who Transform at the peak of their despair. They seem to have a higher tolerance to despair, and their Soul Gems corrupt up to three times _slower_ than the average."

"So, they are basically extraordinarily powerful, no?" said Ryubey, his draconic tail swishing from side to side.

"Yes, and for that, we plan to harness their power to bring about the downfall of the Demon," replied Kyubey. "Shika and Akira are both impressive battle-hardened veterans, arguably the most vigorous fighters of this current world. The Trio have been appearing in Homura Akemi's dreams, and they always kill her as she flees, completely powerless and vulnerable. Thus, we believe that they would play a key part in the grand scheme of things. On a side note, this era has been the most disruptive one yet, what with Homura becoming a Demon, and the emergence of not one, but three Elemental Puella Magi."

"Three?" enquired Ryubey, brows creasing. "I've only heard of Shika Kiyomizu and Akira Oda so far. Who is the third?"

"That, I am unsure of," said Kyubey in his annoyingly innocent voice. "And that is why I have just returned from Earth, telling Shika to locate the third Puella Magi by tomorrow morning. I have had a very bad feeling about what Homura Akemi is up to. I am sure that she has something up her sleeve that may lead to the untimely destruction of the third Puella Magi, the Fire-Singer."

"Your intuitions are trustworthy, comrade," purred Ryubey, "However, in the case where the Trio kills Homura, what is your further plan for them? I am confident that the one who lands the killing blow will attain Homura's powers and ascend to the level of Goddess. How do you plan to control her then?"

Kyubey looked up towards the starry ceiling, a faraway look in his eyes. "That, I am afraid I cannot tell. With the new research on Madoka Kaname going on, her revelation may lead to changes in the game plan, and my plans for the Trio will change accordingly as well. For now, I am sticking to my original plans concerning Shika Kiyomizu and her friends. But one thing remains..."

There was an electric tension in the air. Every single Incubator could feel their nerves fire up with the pure passion of their mission – to maintain entropy and to get rid of any obstacles on the way.

"...Homura Akemi will be dealt with, and she must die, _no matter the cost_."

The meeting was over, and the Incubators streamed out, back to work. Ryubey hung back with Kyubey, wanting to ask him a question.

"So, Contractor, you said you were warning Shika that her life would be in danger if she doesn't find the third Puella Magi by morning. What made you think so?"

"I have this feeling that Homura Akemi may have eavesdropped upon Xyubey and I when we were conversing about the Earth-Shaker. Hints about the Fire-Singer were given, and she may have caught up on that and realised that the Elemental Puella Magi in her dreams were indeed real, contrary to what I've been telling her. Thus, she would have taken action and sought out her one enemy, intending to destroy her." He hung his head, and sighed. "I do not know how accurate my presumption is, though. All we can do now is to stay on high alert mode, and be ready for whatever she does. "

"As you say so, then, Kyubey," he replied. "I shall start devising my own plans, and when they are complete, I will inform you of them."

"That would be good."

The two Incubators walked out of the meeting room side by side, one large, one small, like a cat and its kitten. They didn't manage to make it far before a siren blast resounded throughout the Incubator's city.

" _ALL PERSONNEL TO THE LABORATORY RIGHT NOW. THERE HAS BEEN A BREACH IN THE EXPERIMENTAL GRIEF SEED CONTAINMENT CENTRE. ALL PERSONNEL TO THE LABORATORY RIGHT NOW. THERE HAS BEEN..._ "

The alarm blared over and over again, repeating its dire message. Snarling and breaking into a full run, Ryubey sprinted ahead of Kyubey, shouting, "I'll meet you at the lab! Try and catch up!" Purple energy glowed around him, and in a burst of shadows, he disappeared from the spot, moving at the speed of light.

Kyubey's small paws pounded the tiled surface as he ran as fast as he could towards the lab. The Grief Seeds! Who would want to steal them unless they were...?

A cold feeling crept up the white cat's spine as it dawned on him.

 _...Homura Akemi. Who else but Homura Akemi?_

Homura stole out of the laboratory, ten Grief Seeds safely stored within her Dark Orb. The Incubators were in too much of a panic to notice her. Slipping out of the lab into the corridor, where a window would lead her to her escape, she unfurled her raven wings and leapt out, feeling elated. Now, she would have the resources necessary to kill the tiger girl! However, before she could feel any glee at her thievery, she felt sharp claws embed themselves within her calves, pulling her earth-wards, and glanced down at once to see a huge, purple Incubator with fierce eyes roaring at her.

"You won't get away from me, Homura Akemi!" he bellowed, two inch-long fangs gleaming murderously at her. "Return the Grief Seeds you stole!"

Terrified at this new threat, Homura struggled to shake him off, but the Incubator's grip was scarily strong. He dug even deeper, and Homura cried out in pain as the claws curved inwards, hooking at her flesh.

"How dare you attack me?!"she screamed in rage, drawing her bow and arrow and aiming it at Ryubey's head. "For that, you will _die_!"

But Ryubey was not without his own tricks as well. Gathering a ball of energy in his mouth, he shot it towards her and Homura was forced to make a sharp twist mid-air to avoid it. The energy ball exploded behind her and sent them both crashing down with the shockwave.

"Let - me - go!" yelled Homura, pummeling Ryubey so hard on the head, it would have cracked any lesser Incubator's skull.

But Ryubey's fur had hardened into a metallic armour, and Homura's blow glanced off with a crushing ' _ping_ '. Holding her hand in agony, she flapped her wings against the purple cat, meaning to cut him up. The storm of feathers did nothing to rile up Ryubey, and he doggedly hung on until Homura unleashed a torrent of shadowy projectiles right in front of Ryubey's face. The shrapnel flew everywhere, and the Warrior had to jump away to avoid getting impaled. It was all Homura needed to get away. Stumbling slightly, she took to the air and flew off at once. Seeing his enemy get away, Ryubey wanted to make chase, but felt Kyubey's paw on his messed-up shoulder.

"Let her go," said Kyubey calmly. "It would be unwise to interfere now; we know so little about the Demon and her plans. It could be a trap for all we know."

Ryubey shot him a grudging look, but complied without a word.

"I am hypothesizing that Homura Akemi may be using those Grief Seeds to call upon its Witches, so as to use them to kill someone whom she couldn't kill herself."

"Namely, the Elemental Trio?"

"Your perception is amazing. Of course. In her dreams, she couldn't kill them, so it makes sense that in the real life, she won't be able to harm them as well."

"So shouldn't we track her down and kill her before she kills them?"

"You've seen for yourself how powerful she can be... There's nothing we can much for now but to abide by her rules."

"Understood..." groused Ryubey.

"I'm glad you do," said Kyubey. "I was afraid you wouldn't listen to reason."

"I am not the brash Incubator I used to be, Contractor. And besides..." he gazed intently at the spot where Homura had vanished, leaving behind flecks of blood. "...To kill the Demon, one must employ logic, not emotions, and _that_ is what I do best!"


	23. Chapter 21 : Fears and Uncertainties

The cold night air assaulted Shika's senses, heightening them to epic levels. As she dashed along the empty streets astride her faithful Shiba Inu, her past came flashing before her eyes.

Always, whenever she was afraid or in panic, they would come back to haunt her mind. Like cruel bullets, they penetrated deep into her consciousness, forcing her to relive everything that she had gone through in that torturous one month.

 _That one month of hell. She was trapped within it. Trapped for what seemed like eternity._

Shaking her head violently, she tried to dislodge the memories that were clinging onto her, digging their evil claws deeper and deeper.

 _Dying and living and dying again. The looping cycle of life and death._

Yuki twisted her head around and whined, trying to lick Shika's fingers. She had sensed her mistress's distress. Shika's grasp on Yuki's reins tightened reassuringly, telling her companion that she was alright, and they must forge on.

 _That hideous face. Those curved fangs. The sadistic remarks. Those ruthless words._

Shika shut her eyes tight. _No! Stop it! Stop it, you useless brain!_ she yelled internally. Cold sweat formed in beads on her forehead. Her hands were trembling and she felt faint.

 _The noose around her neck tightened. The blade at her wrist pressed deeper. The water in her lungs suffocating her._

Yuki turned sharply around a corner, almost throwing Shika off her back. Momentarily shocked, her memories seized the opportunity and came pouring into her brain, as if the floodgates holding them back had been breached by that one moment of carelessness.

 _The Witch grabbed her around the torso as if she were a toy. It raised her to its face, ignoring Shika's punches on it's hand. It laughed with her dead mother's voice; it spoke to her with her dead father's tone._

 _"Shika, I never loved you anyway. You were a burden to the family. Everyone hated you." It's grin widened with malicious joy, drinking in Shika's obvious distress. "You are better off dead. Here, let me give you a pistol to shoot yourself now."_

 _"Shut up! Shut the hell up!" screamed the green-haired girl, as her dog lay motionless below her. A pistol materialised next to her, glowing atrociously._

 _"Take it now, and your suffering will end with a simple bullet. Go on. You won't be missed," preened the Witch, cooing to her with her brother's voice. "After all, you are about the most worthless person this world has ever seen. You know, I've always wanted to kill you myself, but I could never do that. You know why? Because I didn't want your filthy blood on my hands."_

 _Shika screamed. She screamed and screamed, her voice breaking. "No! No! You're lying! You're not my brother! You're lying to me!" Her breath came in sobs. She couldn't breathe. Couldn't see. Couldn't feel anything but raw fear._

 _The pistol hovered closer and closer to her. The Witch's face was changing, from her mother, to her father, to her brother, and settled on Akira... her best friend._

 _Her one and only friend._

 _"Take it," said 'Akira' in her icy tone._

 _The pistol was right before her. Her green eyes misted over. "Not you too, Akira..." Everyone_ did _hate her._

 _"Take it!"_

 _Her lips quivered, wet with tears. "How could you, Akira...?" Maybe she_ was _better off dead._

 _"TAKE IT!"_

 _"I HATE YOU, AKIRA!" She grabbed the pistol, screaming like an animal as she pulled the trigger on herself._

Shika found herself lying on her side on the cobble-stone pavement of an alley, shaking violently like leaves in an autumn gale. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, her breath was ragged. Yuki was right by her side, nuzzling her face and licking her tears, whining. "Shika! Shika, what's going on? Answer me!"

The girl merely curled up tighter, trying to control her sobs. Never before had she cried like this, with this intensity, this remorse, this _fear_. Every single wail made her body convulse; it was as if the emotional walls that she had carefully built up around herself for the last six months were broken, smashed through by a huge bulldozer and trampled all over.

"Shika, please, tell me what's going on!" whimpered Yuki, trying to get her to sit up. "You're scaring me, Shika. Shika, are you listening to me?!"

After ten minutes of painful heaving, Shika forced herself to stop the tears and to steady herself. She slowly sat up, and Yuki was at her side immediately. The Puella Magi inhaled shakily, putting a hand on Yuki's soft fur for reassurance. "I'm sorry for scaring you, my friend," she said in a monotonous whisper. "I was thinking of bad things again..."

Yuki licked her tears away. "It's fine, Shika. As long as you're okay in the end, I don't care how much you scare me. I'll always be here for you, through thick or thin."

Shika managed a weak smile. "Thank you..." She tried to stand, but found that her knees had turned to jelly. Yuki nudged her down again, urging her to sit awhile.

"Let's go when you're feeling better. It's no use rushing around while you're in a mentally unstable state," rumbled Yuki. "I don't want you to be like that again..."

"No," objected Shika. "We have to go now. Every second we spend here means time lost. Who knows what may be happening to Tera right now. And who knows what Homura Akemi may be up to."

Yuki whined. She didn't want her mistress to overexert herself, especially more so when she just had a mental assault by her past memories. The dog knew about Shika's suffering during what became known to them as the 'One Month of Hell'. Although she wasn't fully sure of what had happened, she knew enough to know that Shika had been subjected to crazy amounts of pressure and insanity, and it was a miracle that the girl had pulled through it. Shika had told no one else about it, not even Akira.

But Yuki could sense that it wasn't going to be too long before Akira suspected something awry. The senior girl was very good at picking up the expertly hidden emotional cues given off by Shika, and Yuki was sure Akira would heal her mistress's heart. Already, she was showing signs that she knew something was up with her junior.

Getting up unsteadily, Shika mounted Yuki once more. She wrapped the reins tight around her hands so that she would not fall if she were to be seized by another flashback. A hard light glinted in her forest green eyes as she set her jaw firm.

"Let's go, Yuki."

Homura inspected the scratch wounds on her calves and thigh, wincing as she touched them softly. She was sitting atop a broad branch of a large tree, her wings hanging limply behind her. The surprise attack by the purple Incubator had shaken her badly.

 _Where did he come from? Who was he? Why was he so abnormally aggressive and powerful?_

She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, concentrating on her wounds. She willed them to heal, to seal the gaping rips. Flesh started to grow over them, squirming and sucking as they covered, tendril-like, the ragged grooves. Soon, there was no more trace of the ugly marks.

The Demon exhaled in relief. Now, she could carry on with her plan. The purple Incubator would just have to wait until she found a way to get rid of Tera Aido.

She would ensure that not even a single bone remained of the Tiger...

Yuki crashed through some undergrowth, panting heavily. She trusted Shika to hold on tight as she planned to take the shortest, fastest route, which was through a lot of brush and uneven fields.

There was no need for the dog to worry though, as Shika was an extremely experienced rider. Mental assault or not, she was still Shika Kiyomizu, the girl who could bend the mighty earths at her will, the girl who could ride her sprinting mount blindfolded and freehand. She wouldn't let some old memory rile her up, terrifying as it was. She would push it down, swallow it and never let it out again for as long as possible.

She was strong. She would fight her thoughts and she would triumph over them.

"We're nearly there," growled Yuki. "Brace yourself, I smell something fishy up ahead."

Shika unwound the reins from her hands, her fingers glowing green. The long battle hammer materialised in her grip - heavy, deadly, beautiful...

Hopefully, she wouldn't have to use it.

Homura stood in the shadow of the Fire-Singer's house. This was it. She had checked the address over and over again, reassuring herself that this was the right place, and Tera Aido was truly one of the Elemental Puella Magis in her dreams.

It was nearly midnight now, but the sound of strumming could be heard floating out of a backroom window. Homura inched closer, avoiding a large boxing stand, taking care not to step on twigs or brush against the walls.

How perfect! Tera was playing the guitar, and was completely vulnerable and unsuspecting. Homura grinned.

Finally, it will be lights out for the Tiger!

There she was. Pressing herself against the wall, peeking into the room. Bow and arrows at her side, stretched taut. Raven wings sprouted from her shoulder blades. She wore a long black dress of feathers, and a sinister vibe was coming off of her.

So this was the Demon, Homura Akemi.

Shika had dismounted Yuki and was standing by her side, watching. " _What is the Demon up to? Why is she standing still and not making any moves?"_ she asked her dog, using telepathy. It was a useful skill to have whenever ambushes and stealth were required.

" _She's listening to music,"_ replied Yuki, her barky voice sounding in her mind. " _It's a guitar, and I think I hear Tera singing."_

 _"Let's get closer and see for ourselves,"_ replied Shika. She moved towards the building like a sinuous snake, the warhammer poised to strike. Yuki leapt after her like a shadow of doom, huge and soundless, vicious and majestic.

True to Yuki's words, Tera was indeed singing. Her husky voice complemented the melancholic strings flawlessly, and Shika could feel a wave of tragedy wash over her. The melody was sad and lamenting, and the lyrics agonising.

Alone in the dark,  
With no one near me,  
I feel the lonely pressure,  
Crush my soul.

I was your light,  
I saved you from strife,  
I was your secret guardian,  
Looking after you.  
Yet I could not tell you,  
For if I did,  
You would never look at me the same.

But I will continue to be your secret guardian,  
I will be the angel shining from above,  
I will never stop watching over you,  
Even though the pain sears my heart,  
Burnt from the fire that I wield.

All I ask,  
Is that you'll be happy.  
I am willing to burn everything,  
If it makes you smile,  
I am willing to defy the truth,  
If it makes you laugh,  
I will be your secret guardian,  
Till the ends of the earth...

Alone in the dark,  
With no one near me,  
I feel the lonely pressure,  
Crush my soul.  
But I will stay your secret guardian,  
Till the ends of the earth...

As the last chords faded away, the melody was soon replaced by the dead quiet of the night. Shika could feel her heart clench up with emotion once again, but she numbed it down, not wanting to have another fit. Whoever Tera really was, she sounded as if she had went through a lot in her life...

Behind the wall, Homura stood stock still, mesmerised by the song. Every inch of her shattered soul connected with the song. Never before had she heard such music that resonated with her so deeply. She immediately thought of Madoka back in the fake city, and how she could never tell Madoka what she had done for her. Homura was her secret guardian, and she planned to remain so.

The Demon forced her mind to come back to reality. She had a task to complete, and she couldn't afford to be swayed by her love and despair for Madoka. She readied her bow and peeked into the room.

Tera was back-facing her, making some adjustments to the sheet music and totally unaware that there was danger poised outside her window.

Perfect.

This time, Homura had infused her arrows with an extra accessory - she had formed a heavy metal head on each shaft, hoping that they would be able to penetrate the magical wall that seemed to protect Tera. She nocked an arrow, took aim...

A huge beast leapt upon her, knocking her to the ground. The arrow shot off the bow, hit the roof tiles and exploded into harmless purple dust. All the breath left her lungs as the beast smashed her with a heavy, armoured paw, and she could hear her wings snap beneath her. Utterly terrified, she raised her hands before her and shouted a single command word, " _Void!_ "

Masses of dense black matter swirled around her palms and exploded into the beast's face. It yelped and fell back, stunned, and Homura took the chance to retaliate. She stumbled up, a long dagger crystalising in her hand. She threw it at the beast, but it rebounded off its armour with a screech.

"Blades won't hurt my mount, Demon..."

Her whole body froze over. Her stomach plunged and she started to hyperventilate. _That voice! It was the voice in her dreams!_

"You look weaker than I imagined..." The voice was cold and calculating. Merciless.

Her nightmare was unfolding itself. It was the beast and her rider, the very same one with the blazing green eyes and vengeful tone.

She was going to die.

She glanced sideways and noticed Tera looking out of her window. Her bow was still in her hands.

It was now or never.

The noise was enough to tell Tera that some sort of fight was taking place outside. She tossed her guitar onto her bed and scrambled to the window, ready to spring away should something attack her. To her horror, she saw a huge white animal savaging a girl with bony raven wings. The girl seemed to be losing, and she was cornered. A person atop the beast was saying something.

She had to act now! A girl's life was in danger. Throwing caution to the wind, Tera was about to jump the window when a purple arrow shattered the window glass and zipped past her ear, embedding its lethal point on the ceiling. She had no time to react as another came flashing by, straight for her head.

"NO!" screamed the rider when she saw the arrow heading for Tera. There was a fleeting look of triumph on the winged girl's face, but it was wiped away as quickly as it came when the arrow rebounded upon an invisible force field around Tera, leaving her unharmed.

Thoroughly confused over who the real enemy was, Tera hesitated for a moment. Before she knew what was happening, the winged girl was upon her, dragging her out of her room. The tiger was shocked to see that it was Kaen Ito, the girl whom she had showed the way to Rose Hotel earlier that day.

"What the frick is goin' on here?!" exclaimed Tera, pupils dilated in fear. She grappled 'Kaen', tossing her off and assuming a fighting stance. All that judo and karate and MMA were paying off now.

"She's the Demon, Homura Akemi, and she's trying to kill you!" said the rider, whom she now realised was Shika Kiyomizu, the girl from the Water Festival. Her dog was three times its normal size, and it looked like a beast out of hell.

"S-Shika-senpai?" stuttered Tera. "What're ya doin' here-"

"Watch out!" yelled Shika as Yuki tried to block Homura's assault, but failed.

Homura rushed Tera once more, smashing her onto the hard ground with her limp wings. The two adversaries wrestled each other, but Homura soon found out that although she could touch and hold Tera, there was no way she could punch or kick her. Every time she attempted it, the force field would rebound on her. However, Tera was dishing out devastating uppercuts and knee-kicks, battering up Homura badly.

"Hah, you think you can kill me just like that, Demon?" taunted Tera. "I am Tera Aido, judo master and close-combat expert. It would take more that that to finish me!"

 _Her nightmare was true. She couldn't hurt these Puella Magi..._

With a surge of monstrous strength, Homura threw Tera off of her and jack-knifed to her feet. She summoned her Dark Orb and pulled out a stolen Grief Seed. Shika's eyes widened in horror as she understood what Homura was about to do.

 _It was time to release the Witches._

The Grief Seed hatched, erupting in a burst of multi-coloured swirls. The barrier descended upon them swiftly, covering them in a hideous wonderland of zombie fish. The runes 'KALOC' appeared everywhere, and a titanic zombie Shark emerged from the depths, spewing fish bones.

Both Shika and Tera transformed into their Puella Magi appearance, and Shika was astounded by the younger girl's altered physique. Her arms had morphed into fiery, cestus-like claws, huge and heavy and dangerous. Tiger stripes ran down her entire body length, and she had a long, metallic tail that swished menacingly. Taloned, steel boots adorned her feet. Leather armour allowed for easy movement.

She was indeed the Tiger - deadly and magnificent.

Enraged by the ambush, Tera sped towards Kaloc, arms stretched out by her side and bursting into white hot flames.

"Don't you dare mess up my yard, you fudging fish!" With a powerful leap, she clawed into the Witch's head, grabbing on to her brain and twisting hard. The skull snapped clean off and exploded into fire, the body disintegrating into fine powder as the white fire consumed it. She landed lightly on her feet, flexing her claws. Her orange eyes seemed to be burning with fury.

Shika's jaw dropped. _Did Tera just kill the Witch in three seconds?_ She barely even had time to move from the spot!

Meanwhile, Homura shook like a jelly. How on earth was she going to kill that _abomination_? A Puella Magi that killed a Witch as easily as snapping a toothpick... Homura felt like crying just then.

The barrier disappeared, and Shika and Tera turned their attention back to Homura. The Demon was not about to be defeated though. She emptied her Dark Orb, and nine more Grief Seeds tumbled out of it. A maniacal glint shone in her crazed eyes, all sense lost from her.

"Try killing all nine then! You will both die tonight! Ahahaha!" she screeched.

Shika's breath caught in her throat. The girl was demented! Releasing nine Witches together could mean the destruction of a whole district. She urged Yuki to grab Homura, but the Demon slipped away like an eel, grinning.

"Bye! May your deaths be slow and agonising!" She opened a portal in front of her, and the hands of her Clara Dolls reached out to take her in to safety. With a small 'pop', she was gone.

"Jesus Christ! She's freaking off of her bonkers!" shouted Tera as the nine Grief Seeds started to hatch. "How're we gonna survive this?"

One by one, the Grief Seeds discharged their hosts. Shock waves battered the two friends close together as the barriers merged into one, and Tera clung onto Yuki's reins along with Shika to prevent being blasted away. Various hoots and groans and squeaks and trumpets thundered around them, dark forms coalescing into appalling shapes.

"Stay together! We take down the Witches individually, as a duo!" yelled Shika through the din.

"Aye aye, sir!" screamed back Tera, almost hysterically. "I'll do as you say, senpai!"

The nine Witches circled them - paper cut-out, willow tree, snapping bag, sludge monster, dinosaur-cat, headless doll, dancing table, knife-limbed humanoid, spider.

"Oh my god! _Oh my god, spider!"_ wailed Tera, trembling. "I'm _fudging_ arachnophobic!"

"Calm down, Tera-san," said Shika firmly. "Just imagine that it's a... a... a disgusting cockroach!"

A blue light shone above the Arachnid Witch. Like a spinning comet, two icy blades spun in a vertical circle, dropping over the spider's head and cutting it off. The other Witches recoiled at the sudden death of their kin, afraid of this new threat. The wielder of the blades landed gracefully, the twin swords by her side gleaming with Witch blood. She walked calmly to their sides, ignoring the monsters and saying with a smirk, "I hate disgusting cockroaches, you know?"

"Akira!" exclaimed Shika in joy. Yuki licked Akira's face once, growling happily. "How did you know we were here?"

"Easy. I tracked you with my Soul Gem," said Akira, slicing a Familiar that got too close for comfort. "When you hung up on me, I knew something was up, so I came to look for you. It turns out we've landed ourselves in a pretty big mess... But thank goodness you're alright, my darlings."

"A 'pretty big mess' is the understatement of the century, senpai-of-senpai," hissed Tera, smacking away a butcher knife floating at her head. "Its literal _hell_ here! Oh, and thanks for getting rid of that spider for meh. I really appreciate it."

"Don't mention it," Akira shrugged. "Always glad to cut up spiders for you, Aido-san."

"Why are we chatting idly like as if we're taking a stroll in the park?" said Shika, cocking an eyebrow.

"Mainly because the Witches aren't attacking us just yet," replied Akira, taking stock of their enemies. "They must be quite confounded to see so many of them together, and have yet to regain their bearings. I say we have around thirty more seconds before they fully grasp what's happening and start attacking us."

"This is to our advantage! Let's pummel 'em all t'death now!" chirped Tera, wanting to jump at the Headless Doll straightaway.

Shika grabbed her shoulder to stop her, chiding, "Strategy first, Tera-chan. Never run into a large-scale battle without a plan." The Tiger grinned sheepishly. "Whoopsie, my bad."

"Indeed," huffed Akira. "With the correct strategy, we should be able to kill all eight Witches and prevent the destruction of the city. Shika and Yuki will go for the Dinosaur-cat, Headless Doll, and Cannibal Bag. Encircle them with your earth magic and crush them all in one go. Aido-san will take care of the Willow Tree, Sludgie and that Paper Thingy - just burn them up, and I will finish the Dancing Table and Mrs Knife-Addict. Anyone who finishes theirs first will go help the others. I've chosen the Witches for each one so that they will have an advantage over their enemies. The slowest Witches go to Shika, for she can outrun them with Yuki and assault them easily. The mid-speed, flammable ones go to Aido-san, for obvious reasons. I will take care of the swiftest Witches, matching them with my own speed and agility. The strategy? Just kill them before they kill you. Any questions?"

Tera shook her head in admiration. "Woah, you've got a sharp brain there, Akira-senpai. Nope, no questions. I'm ready to kick some Witch butt!" She clapped her mighty claws together, setting them on fire.

The Witches were beginning to move, sensing their targets before them. Dinosaur-cat gave a scream and whipped out her long tail, almost hitting Akira. The tall girl avoided it with a twist of her body, giving out the command, "Now! Charge the enemies! _Go_!"

The trio fanned out, locking in on their designated foes.

The blood of the Witches will run the earth and pollute the sky tonight.

Homura travelled through her portal, her Clara Dolls flanking her. They giggled and cartwheeled about, and Homura beckoned for Love to come forward.

"Love, I want you to spy on Tera Aido and the green-haired girl through the portal and report to me the outcome of the battle. Stay hidden, and do not interfere at all costs. Once either party is dead, use the portal to seek me out. I await your good news. Now go!" ordered Homura. The Clara Doll saluted and waltzed back to where the battle was raging.

Truth to be told, Homura wasn't very sure now if nine Witches were enough to kill the two Puella Magi. She had seen how Tera ripped the Fish Witch's head off effortlessly, ending the battle with just one move. What made her think nine Witches could stop them? She could only hope now that the two were in such shock that they couldn't react in time to the new threat.

The Clara Dolls crowded around her, patching up her broken wings and gibbering to her in soothing tones. She smiled at them, remembering that she was not really alone in her endeavor. Unfortunately, her Clara Dolls could only travel within the portal and stay in the real world for a maximum of fifteen minutes, else she would have told them to dispose of Tera for her.

Then, a cold smile crept over her face. Who better to kill Tera than the person whom Tera would trust the most? Her closest friend, who will not be rebounded by the invisible barrier, who can easily slip a knife between her ribs? She grinned, knowing just the person who would fit the job.

Rikka Sayuki grimaced in her sleep, dreaming of the Witch that had killed her parents. She woke up all of a sudden, shocked, and was relieved to find that it was only just a dream. Her younger sister, Eruna, was slumbering peacefully next to her, curled up in her blankets. Rikka smiled fondly and tucked the sheets in closer to keep Eruna warm. The nights these days could get a little chilly.

The front door gave a loud creak as she was about to go back to sleep. Rikka sat up immediately, her heartbeat accelerating. She knew she had locked the door before turning in for the night. How could it have opened on its own accord?

It could only mean one thing - someone was in the house.

Rikka crept out of the bedroom, a small, sleek black axe with dark blue markings forming in her right hand. She had to investigate. Tiptoeing to the living room, she held her breath, anticipating a thief or robber.

No one.

She slunk about the space, her footfalls making no sound at all. Ever since the death of her parents, the house was an empty shell, devoid of the joy that she had loved so much. Ghosts of the past haunted her mind - one moment, she would see everyone together, happy and blissful. The next thing she knew, they were gone in a puff of smoke. But it was still home despite the hollowness, and she still had her beloved sister to take care of. She was Rikka Sayiki, ruthless Witch assassinator, Punisher of all things unholy. She could take on a human easily if it meant their safety.

"Looking for someone?"

Rikka snapped behind her, instinctively throwing the the axe towards the direction of the unfamiliar voice. The blade sunk itself into the paneled wood wall, missing the intruder by a hairs-breadth, as an intended sign of warning from Rikka. "Your presence here is not welcome," she said in a dangerous tone. "Leave now before I take any action against you."

"If you knew who I was, you wouldn't be so quick to threaten me with words," smirked the stranger, who didn't flinch at all from the axe-throw. Through the veil of darkness, the sputtering street lamp outside shone upon a pistol aimed right at her head. A sheet of dark hair flowed around the assailant, lending her an ethereal appearance. Grim purple eyes stared at her, a hint of insanity dancing behind the pupils.

Rikka backed away nervously out of the line of shot, another axe forming in her grip. "W-who are you? What do you want with me?"

The intruder chuckled. "You know Tera Aido? I want you to kill her."

The Dancing Table fell in splinters to the checkered floor, yet another victim to the keenness of Akira's twin rapiers. Her strategy had worked. The Witches were no match for their coordinated attack. Shika had taken care of her Witches without breaking into sweat, smashing them into a pulp as Yuki herded them to a single point. Tera incinerated her targets totally, leaving behind nothing but claw marks and ashes. The battle was concluded in a quick and decisive manner - no excessive loss of magic, no grievous injuries, just as Akira had hoped for.

The mass barrier shimmered into non-existence, and the three companions and dog sank onto the grassy lawn in exhausted relief.

"Man, that was awesome but creeped the frick out of me," remarked Tera, extinguishing the flames on her arms. "Who was that freak anyway? You seemed to recognise her, Shika-senpai."

Shika rubbed Yuki's head vigorously, silently thanking her furry friend. She looked at Tera with a newfound sense of understanding, forming an answer in her mind before finally replying, "Yes, I know her, though this is the first time I'm meeting her in person. She goes by the name of Homura Akemi, and is really the Demon Puella Magi in disguise. She is apparently omnipotent and possesses amazing skill and power. The Incubators have told me about her a long time ago, and that she needs to be taken care of. What her motives are, I am not sure, but one thing I do know is that she is out to murder you, me and Akira. Had Kyubey not told me to look for you immediately, you would have been slain by now."

Tera laughed nervously. "You're pullin' my leg, aren't ya, senpai? Right?"

The looks on her seniors' faces told her that Shika was in fact dead serious. Tera gulped, realising that she had gotten herself into a really bad situation.

"Don't worry, Tera-san, we won't let Homura Akemi harm you, nor harm any one of us," said Shika. "Her attack on you, coupled with your ability to control fire can only mean that you are the third and final Elemental Puella Magi. I've been tasked to find to you by Kyubey, and at first, I took his words as rubbish... But now I see that it's true. Only we can kill the Demon, and, more of a selfish thing than a noble one, we must kill her first before she kills us. You must join us to form the Trio. I am sure you are the Pyromancer that the Incubators are always talking about. In other words, you have no choice but to fulfill this destiny that has been laid out for you, like it or not."

"Jesus, that doesn't sound nice at all, senpai," muttered Tera, looking slighlty shell-shocked. "So are you tellin' me I'm in some sort of Trinity that is meant to oppose the Demon, like it or not?"

"That would be basically it. I'll tell you more about it soon. I hope you'll believe me. I do not want to force the truth onto you, but if I must, I will."

Akira gave Shika a weird stare. Since when was timid little Shika this cold and straightforward with her words? Also, she was giving off an unnatural aura, one of dread and despair. "Shika darling, are you alright? You don't sound like yourself..." ventured Akira, placing a hand on her junior's.

All the coldness in Shika seemed to melt away in that instant. "I'm fine, no need to worry about me," shrugged the girl, averting her gaze from both Tera and Akira. Yuki whined slightly, her pleading brown eyes looking at Akira for help. The senior got the hint, and said gently, "You can tell me what happened if you want to. I'm always ready to listen."

Shika's shoulders drooped. She sighed, still not looking at anyone. "Really, I'm okay. I just... got agitated by the fight, that's all, and said some pretty stupid things..."

"I don't think so, senpai," cut in Tera, reverting her claws back to her hands. She took Shika by the shoulders and forced the older girl to look at her. "Look, I'm flustered as well, but if senpai-of-senpai says somethin' is wrong, then somethin' is wrong. Although I've literally just met you two for a day, I can tell that you're hidin' somethin', and I trust Akira-senpai's judgement about you. So spill dem beans, gurl."

Akira shot Tera a face that said 'your-mode-of-speech-is-utterly-unsophisticated-you-barbarian-girl'. But to their surprise, Shika gave a weak smile and replied, "I will spill them soon enough, but not tonight. We're exhausted, and we need to rest. Also, with Homura a possibly constant threat now, I think it would be much safer to be together instead of being by ourselves. She may just launch another attack on us as we are recovering."

Tera nodded in agreement. She was not about to be ambushed by the Demon once again. "So whaddaya suggest we do? Camp out together like best buds?"

Akira snorted. "And where do propose we camp? On the streets, under the dying stars, curled up on a mat and freezing at zero degrees?"

"Of course not, you silly girl!" chortled Tera, obviously missing the dripping sarcasm in Akira's voice. "Seriously, I thought you were smarter than that, senpai."

"Where is this conversation going again?" remarked Akira sharply.

"I dunno. You started it, senpai."

Shika grinned. She smacked them both lightly on their arms, and said, "Everyone can come to my house for the night. I've got extra mattresses and sheets and we can all squeeze into my room. Until then, we'll discuss a better plan later. Tera-san, you better leave a note for your parents to explain your whereabouts."

Tera gave a crisp salute. "Aye aye, sir. They've actually gone on holiday without me, (lol) so no need for notes. They won't be back in another two weeks time."

"That's settled then," said Akira, getting up briskly. She sent off a brief text message to her butler, telling him that she won't be back for the night. "Grab whatever you need for now, Aido-san. We can come back later for other things if you need them. I'll fix that broken window of yours with my nevermelt ice while you're getting ready."

The two went off to their tasks, leaving Shika alone with Yuki once more. The girl hugged her dog close, muttering, "Do you think I should tell them about it?"

"If you're talking about the One Month of Hell, then yes. Definitely yes. It's about time you let it all out."

Shika let her heavy eyelids close. "Yeah, you're right as always... I shouldn't keep Akira in the dark about this. She's been worrying so much about me lately... The thing is though, I can't bring myself to feel any _remorse_ for not telling her sooner and making her worry constantly. I'm such a terrible person..."

Yuki licked her mistress' fingers affectionately. "You're not terrible, you've just been through a lot. I'm sure Akira understands though, so don't fret. She's a good friend to you."

Shika didn't reply. All she could think of at that time was how selfish and unemotional she had been towards Akira after the One Month. It was a wonder Akira hadn't left her to rot... She never really deserved a friend like Akira anyway...

She caught herself starting to think negatively again, and quickly snapped out of it.

Negative thoughts fed the brooding monster within her, and she wouldn't want to face it for the umpteenth time. It had utterly destroyed her from the inside, leaving her emotionally wrecked and unstable. Never again would she return to her old self. The timid deer who had let everyone bully it was no more. It had evolved into a vile dragon covered in deerskin - deceptive, ruthless, cold and unforgiving... Yet she had managed to convince others that she was still the shy deer that she was. That she still experienced the same feelings and emotions as others. That she still had a sympathetic, kind heart.

Were they ever more wrong about her.

Homura's spirits were critically low. Love had just returned and gave her the account of the battle. It sounded as if the Witches were no more than mere toys to be torn apart by the Puella Magi. Also, Love told her that a third Puella Magi had joined the fray, and it was through her strategy that they managed to wipe the floor in such little time. It should be noted that the third girl seemed to utilise ice during her onslaughts, so could she be the third Elemental? Love bowed low and capered away, her report over.

Homura sank into her bed and rubbed her throbbing temples. It was illogical to have three girls fight nine Witches and yet come out alive. One Witch alone was already dangerous enough, and difficult to kill at that. It had undeniably proven the might of the Elementals. But through this battle, she had gained new knowledge. The mysterious green-haired girl with the beast and the icy Puella Magi were bound to be the other two that made up the Trio in her dreams. By knowing them, she would have an advantage in her efforts to kill them. At least she had Tera settled now - Rikka Sayuki would be forced to carry out her bidding, like it or not. As for the other two, as well as the purple Incubator, she would have to wait until tomorrow before making any plans. She was too muddled right now to think.

She breathed deeply, trying to clear her mind. She was mentally and physically drained, and the only thing that kept her going was her love for Madoka. No matter the pain and sacrifice, she would endure it for the sake of her beloved friend.

She prepared herself for yet another fitful bout of nightmares as she finally drifted off to sleep.

Being the Demon was not fun at all.

 _[In the home of the twins, at around midnight... ]_

"Hey Luna, what do you think about the advice she gave us? Do you think we should accept it?"

"I really don't know, Stella. Are we really that desperate for help?"

"It seems so. I can't think of any other alternative."

"I don't like this whole idea of seeking out that help. It's just so... Weak and wrong."

"Well, that fact that we haven't been reaching the weekly quota of Grief Seeds and Grief Cubes is proof enough that we need help. Since when had we a problem with killing Witches and Wraiths? The depression is getting to us."

"... True. I guess it can't be helped. Maybe it will finally solve our depression, as well as our other problems..."

"Let's hope it does..."


	24. Chapter 22 : Crossing Fated Paths

The summer song of the birds wafted through the window, heralding a new day. All around, life forms were awakening, stretching and crying out their joy to the world. Rikka stared out the window, her gaze blank and far-away, the beauty of dawn and God's creation lost upon her. Her morning prayer was lost on her lips as she thought about Homura Akemi's intrusion last night.

 _"You're a really nice person, right, Rikka Sayuki?" said Homura, getting closer to Rikka._

 _The girl stood her ground boldly. "What has that got to do with that insane proposition of yours?"_

 _"It's really simple, actually." A smirk tickled the edges of her lips. "By killing Tera Aido, you would make me so happy, no words can describe it. After all, that was what you wished for - to make others happy."_

 _A small gasp escaped Rikka. How did Homura know about her wish? She shook her head in disbelief, stammering, "N-no, you can't use my wish against me... I can never kill Tera-chan just to make you happy..."_

 _Homura pouted. "But surely, the goodness within you can't defy my request. I would be_ so, very sad _if you didn't do as I said."_

 _Rikka's breathing became shallow. "Stop. Don't say anything anymore..." Homura Akemi was trapping her with her words, using her wish against her, taking advantage of her self-sacrificing nature._

 _The Demon's eyes gleamed. She was succeeding. Rikka could not disobey her due to the lock and chains of her wish. Just with a careful play of words, Homura could make Rikka do whatever she desired. "Please? You don't want me to_ cry _and_ beg _you, do you now? You're making me_ very unhappy _..."_

 _Rikka dropped her axe, and it shimmered into fine dust in mid-air, gone. She backed away until her shoulder blades touched the wall, and she stood there, hand clenched at her chest. Her eyes were large and wild. "S-stop it... Stop it..."_

 _Homura gave a sniff, and tears filled her eyes as she looked imploringly at Rikka. "You're making me cry. You're_ so mean _. And here, I thought you were_ supposed _to spread happiness..."_

 _Rikka's hand went to her mouth as she shut her eyes tight, trying not to sob. Her whole body was quaking with the effort to not reply Homura. The Demon let loose the final weapon, tears pouring down her cheeks. "You_ mean _person... All I wanted was some help, and you're refusing me. I'm_ so sad _now..." She started to cry in the most painful way possible, luring Rikka even deeper into the trap._

 _Finally, Rikka could take it no longer. In an outburst of passion and pure torment, she said, "Okay, okay! I will do as you say! Just, please, don't be sad. I cannot forgive myself if I ever made someone sad..." Her deep blue eyes glistened with moisture, her lips were trembling._

 _Homura grinned from ear to ear, all signs of distress gone from her face. "You will kill Tera Aido for me and make me happy. Very very happy indeed. I expect no failure on your part." Rikka had no chance to reply as the demonic girl had fell backward into a swirling portal and disappeared, laughing._

 _She felt like choking on her own conscience. How could she agree to such madness? Tera was her best friend! With the realisation of what she had just done hitting her like a five tonne truck, Rikka broke down into quiet sobs._

 _She was tasked with making everyone else happy, and through that, she would be happy as well. But there was a flaw in her wish._

 _It would not allow her to defy another's wish to be happy, even at the expense of her own happiness._

Rikka felt the arms of her sister encircle her shoulders. "Onee-chan, are you feeling alright?" came Eruna's sweet, slow voice. Rikka placed a palm on her sister's hand, attempting a smile. She nodded, saying nothing.

The two sisters stood quietly together for a minute, then Eruna whispered the words, "May God give you strength to go through this, onee-chan. He will always be with you, and so will I. In Jesus's name I pray, Amen."

"Amen..." echoed Rikka automatically.

At that moment, Rikka's cell phone rang. Eruna removed her arms around her sister and stood aside, watching mutely.

"Hello? Tera-chan?" said Rikka haltingly, and Eruna couldn't help but notice her sister flinch when she heard Tera's voice.

Rikka nodded several times, giving short responses like 'mmhmm', 'yeah', 'okay'. She looked worried.

"Calm down, Tera-chan. I'll come over as soon as possible, around half past nine. Red Garden, house number 44? Okay. I'll see you there... Love you too..."

Rikka sighed heavily, burying her palm in her face as she hung up. Eruna edged closer, putting a cautious hand on her sister's arm. "Onee-chan... are you sure you're all right?"

"I'll be okay. Don't worry about me," reassured Rikka, smiling in what Eruna thought was a poor attempt to mask her true emotions. "We'll just get on with our chores, and when we're done, we'll get Kureha-chan and go over to meet Tera-chan."

Eruna nodded. "Okay." Her sky blue eyes flashed with doubt, but she didn't press her sister for any more details. Rikka, when she wanted to, could stay mum about her thoughts for weeks on end before finally telling Eruna about them. For example, it took Rikka one month to tell her that she was actually agonising over what birthday present she should get for her boyfriend, thus her moodiness. _("I'm just overthinking about the sort of gift for him, it's nothing serious" Rikka had said, to which Eruna replied, "What? I thought you were suffering from some sort of terminal stage cancer! Onee-chan!")_

That was just the way Rikka was ever since their parents had died, and Eruna had come to accept it.

Tera slipped her phone into her pocket and looked around her, like a cat surveying its new territory. Ever since last night, she couldn't stop fidgeting. Her fingers were drumming the tabletop in quick staccato, reflecting her discorded mood. Her mind was being blown apart by information overload, and very soon, Shika was going to tell her about it again just to reaffirm it and set it in stone.

"What time will they be coming around? They're Puella Magi as well, I take it?" enquired Shika, who was busy rummaging through her fridge. She frowned when she realised there was virtually nothing in it besides the leftovers from yesterday's dinner.

Tera's feet tapped the floor unconsciously as she replied, "Half-past nine. That's an hour from now. And yeah, they're all Puella Magi except Eruna-chan, the one with sky-blue hair."

"Right. We should have enough time to eat and talk about this unpleasant matter, seeing as they're coming in an hour," said Shika, taking out some leftover rice and steamed eggs. "Tera-san, can you heat these up in the microwave for me?"

"Sure." Tera slipped off the chair and took the bowls from Shika, popping the rice first into the tiny microwave. She set it at one minute, placing a dish of water on top so that the rice wouldn't dry up. "Where's Akira-senpai, by the way? I thought she woke up with us."

Shika looked away from Tera, replying in a curt voice, "Nah, she's still knocked out. I decided to let her sleep more because she looked so... tired."

"I see," muttered Tera. She resisted the urge to giggle and blurt out ' _Are you sure it's not because Akira-senpai looked too precious to wake up_?' but decided that it wasn't the best of things to say right now.

"Are you okay, Tera-san?" ventured Shika as she put the miso soup on the stove to boil. "Your face looks... contorted with pain."

"Oh, I'm okay!" Tera said, a little bit too cheerily. "Totally fine, yeah. Nothin' wrong with meh. Just daydreamin'. No worries, ehe."

Shika gave her a weird stare, then went back to her soup. Yuki padded into the kitchen then and gave a cavernous yawn. She went up to Tera, sniffed her hand, then proceeded to lick her fingers in greeting. Tera ruffled Yuki's head, crooning, "Good mornin', gal. Had a nice shuteye?" Yuki whined appreciatively, wagging her tail hard.

"Said she never slept better," smiled Shika, stirring the soup. She tasted it, screwed up her face and promptly put something powdery into it. "Can you feed her for me? Her kibbles are there in the corner."

"Aye aye, sir." She left the rice to heat up and poured out some of the dog biscuits for Yuki. The Shiba Inu set to wolfing them down immediately. Having her own dog once upon a time, she couldn't help but notice that it was the cheapest brand of dog food available at the market. Poor old Yuki probably hated it, but bravely said nothing about it.

The way Shika lived... One would think she was utterly broke. No food, small house, scant furniture, cold shower water... Tera felt really bad for her then. Had she been living like this all her life?

The microwave gave a lame croak, and Tera stared at it incredulously. "Did the microwave just... _croak_?"

"Yeah, it lost its 'ding' five years ago. I'm used to having it croak at me all the time."

"Okaaaay..." Tera replaced the rice with the eggs, and set the steaming bowl on the table. "Say, Shika-senpai, random question, but how old is Yuki?"

"She's thirteen this year. Already a senior citizen for a Shiba Inu," said Shika, scooping the soup into three bowls.

"Ever thought about getting a new dog?"

"Certainly. But Yuki got jealous when I told her that," laughed Shika. The old dog gave a low growl and looked up from her kibbles indignantly.

"Haha, don't worry, girl, you'll always be my favourite," beamed Shika, and Yuki, placated, went back to her food. "Thankfully, Yuki's healthy, so she doesn't need much veterinarian care. I don't have the money for that..."

She placed the soup on the table and arranged the spoons and chopsticks, continuing, "There's a male Akita Inu puppy at the shelter that I would really love to adopt. He's just so sweet, and I'm sure Yuki will love him as well. Only thing is, I can barely take care of myself and Yuki, let alone another puppy... I wish Yuki would live a long life though. I can't imagine a day without her..."

Shika went into a brooding silence, and Tera regretted asking her about dogs. Having your dog grow old and die before you was a very sad affair. Tera decided to change the topic.

"So... Where's the rest of your family?"

The girl's face darkened, and the whole room took on an instant, dreadful atmosphere. "They're dead."

"O-oh..." stammered Tera. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't know." No wonder she lived as if she were broke...because she was.

"Don't worry about it. I'm over it already."

The microwave croaked again, and Shika got the eggs out. She settled at the table, motioning for Tera to do the same. "Sorry I can't give you more. Please, make yourself at home."

"I-it's fine! Really!" said Tera, smiling nervously. The last thing she wanted to do now was to act like an ungrateful snob. _Man, Shika-senpai can be real scary despite her timid look,_ she thought to herself as she took a sip of miso. A bit more sourish than it should be, but nothing that couldn't be eaten. She debated internally on whether she should ask Shika more questions, or even talk to her, now that she had breached a very sensitive topic.

"If you're thinking about whether you've hurt my feelings, I can assure you that you didn't," said Shika kindly, as if reading Tera's mind.

"Okay, senpai," mewled Tera, like a scared kitten. She quickly thought of another subject to bring up, then asked, "So, how do you support yourself then? I mean, I'm not sayin' you're poor or anythin'! Just... you know, curious to find out...?"

"Curiosity kills the cat," said Shika matter-of-factly, taking a bite of egg. Tera wasn't sure if Shika meant that, and shrunk a little more into her seat. Shika was getting more intimidating by the minute. "Well, I work at the local pet shelter on weekdays and at the zoo's clinical centre on weekends. The work time varies. I mainly take care of sick animals, or take them out for walks, bathe them, feed them and keep them company. The money I earn is just enough to pay off the monthly bills and give us food."

"Didn't anyone ever wanted to adopt you...?"

Shika twiddled her chopsticks and twisted them in her rice. "No. They all thought I was weird and creepy. The social worker eventually gave up on me and left me to fend for myself."

"Oh. I'm sorry." Tera lowered her head. Why was she asking all sorts of awkward questions? This was definitely not a way to get to know someone new. She tried to save the situation. "B-but you're not weird to me at all! You're really nice, and completely normal! Err, well, except from the fact that you own a monster dog-"

" _Wrooaaf_!" (Hey, what do you mean by that!?)

"-sorry Yuki, and the fact that you're an Elemental Puella Magi and you have crazy scary eyes sometimes, you're totally sane. Yup."

"... Crazy, scary eyes?" Shika said, her voice unsure. "Wow, didn't know I had them. Maybe that's why people always run away from me."

 _Goddammit, what the hell am I sayin'?_ screamed Tera inwardly. She stuffed some rice in her mouth and chewed furiously, almost choked, then said impulsively, "Hey, Shika-senpai, do you read manga?"

Shika looked surprised at the change of topic. "Um, yeah, I do if I get extra money at the end of the month. Why?"

"What sort?"

The senior picked at the rice grains, seemingly embarassed. "Dark fantasy. Sad plot-lines. Unrequited love. Twisted reality. Anything that has humans dying in it."

Tera gulped. "Why do you read those god-forsaken things?"

"I really don't know," frowned Shika.

"You know, I'm gonna make you read something happier one day. You're so damn gloomy, woman."

The older girl sighed. "I know."

They stared at the food for a few seconds, then Tera decided that her inner cheekiness was the only solution to stop talking about depressing things. And cheekiness was one thing she excelled at. "Ever heard of yuri, senpai?" she piped up.

"Uh... Yes...?"

"Good. Cuz I'm a sucker for yuri," grinned Tera. "Hey, hey, did you know, this morning, Akira-senpai was nuzzled against you? _God_ , you both looked _so damn cute_ together." She bared her fangs in a rapturous smile, cocking an eyebrow at Shika.

Shika blinked hard several times, apparently not getting the hint. Then, her green eyes widened and she put down her chopsticks, blushing. "I-It was unnaturally cold, and there were not enough blankets, s-so Akira just came closer for warmth..."

"Are you sure?" mewed Tera deliciously. "Because I was convinced that I was watching a yuri manga come to life. The way you gently lifted her arms off of you so that you wouldn't wake her up... And the way she reached out sleepily for you, and you pushed her arms softly back down... _Jesus_ , senpai, that was _priceless_!"

"You're thinking too much, Tera-san," said Shika, flustered and back to her deer-like ways. "It's not what you think, I really didn't want to wake her up, that's really, really just it."

"Oh yeah? It looked more than that to me," Tera wiggled her eyebrows aggravatingly. Shika could only shut up and look imploringly at Yuki to save her, except that Yuki was too engrossed with her food to notice it.

"Morning..."

Shika whipped around to the voice. It was Akira, still in her nightgown. She stood at the bedroom door, stretching and yawning, then took out her blue ribbon and threaded it loosely around the hair at the base of her neck. Although she had just woken up, she still managed to look fabulous. She shuffled over to the table, plopped down next to Shika, looked at her sleepily and said, "Why didn't you wake me up, darling?"

Tera burst into laughter. Shika bolted up like a shocked deer, muttered "Excuse me," and ran off to the bathroom, locking herself in.

Akira looked bewildered. "What just happened? Was it something I said?"

As a reply, Tera snorted in delirium. "Oh my _god_ , you two are frickin' _epic_! Hahaha!"

The silver-flecked eye of Akira Oda narrowed in grave confusion as she said slowly, "Do you mind telling me what happened just now, Aido-san, or are you going to sit there laughing like a barbarian?"

"I actually prefer the second choice, senpai," hooted Tera.

"Ugh, kids these days," huffed Akira as she reached for a bowl and a pair of chopsticks. She gave the spread a glance, and said, "I should have secretly stocked her fridge with fresh food. This girl eats all the wrong things for breakfast."

"You sound awfully like my dad when he sees that my mom isn't cookin' proper food," grinned Tera.

"What are you trying to imply?"

"That you two sound like an old couple."

"Mhmm. Of course. Why else not?" replied Akira sarcastically. She downed the soup in one gulp, made a face (here, Tera choked down a laugh because Shika had done the exact same thing), then called out, "Shika darling, what are you doing in the bathroom?"

Something crashed to the floor, followed by a frightened squeal. "Uh, just... w-w-wiping the mirror! Yeah! Nothing's wrong, keep eating, please."

Akira shot an accusatory glare at Tera. "What did you do to her, Aido?"

"Nothin'. I was just chattin' with her when you decided to waltz in with your stunnin' nightgown and announce your presence to the whole world."

"You're impossible."

"Thanks for the compliment. I get that a lot."

"I give up. Now be a good, silent kitty and eat your breakfast."

"Nyaaaaaw," moaned Tera, sounding just like a disappointed kitten. Akira had to be impressed. "One last question, shenpai. Pwease?"

Akira rolled her eye. "Fine."

"I was wondering... why do you cover your left eye with your hair? Doesn't it bother your eyesight, especially when you're fighting Witches or Wraiths? Or is it a new fashion statement?" smirked Tera.

"It's none of your business," Akira snapped. "Please do not press the matter further."

"Oh, okay. Sorry I asked," said Tera, immediately chastened by the forbidding tone in her senior's reply.

Yuki finished her food and gave a contented whine, then padded out to the small garden for an after-meal nap. The duo ate in silence until they heard the bathroom door click open once more. Shika came out looking completely normal, and both Akira and Tera gazed at her, waiting for some sort of reaction. There was none.

"Now that everyone's here, let's talk about the Demon and the prophecy as we eat," said Shika, resuming her meal. She noticed the two staring at her expectantly, as if waiting for her to throw the rice bowl into the air and start singing new year songs. "Why are you guys looking at me like that...?"

"Oh, no reason," said Akira hastily.

"There _is_ a reason," cut in Tera, grinning in mischief, "Akira-senpai thought your face was too cute to be true, so she had to stare at you."

"W-what?!" shouted Akira, almost toppling over backwards. "There is no such thing as that Aido _oh my god_ you crazy tiger I'm gonna _strangle_ you if so much as utter another word I'll _throw_ you to the dogs myself or stick an icicle in you mouth and _freeze_ your lips and never let you into my sight ever again if my name isn't Akira Oda!" She said it in one go, face red and heaving indignantly. Shika covered her mouth, apparently trying not to giggle.

Tera exploded into laugher, slapping her thighs in mirth. "You two are really, goddamn _epic_! Ahahaha!"

Coughing politely and patting Akira on the shoulder to console her, Shika said, "Okay, enough of this. Let's get to the topic at hand."

"Finally..." groused Akira, shooting daggers at Tera, who simply shot back a stunning grin.

"Homura Akemi, as we all now know, is the Demon Puella Magi. Last night, I have told you that her motives are unknown to us as of yet, but even so, we have been tasked by the Incubators to slay her. I'm sure we'll learn of the reason soon enough. It's kill or be killed, truth to be told. From her assault, we can already see that she will do anything within her power to destroy us, and this is tied to the prophecy of the Trio. Also, there is an interesting thing that I noticed yesterday when Tera was grappling with Homura."

"Oh, oh, you mean that she can't physically hurt us, right?" chirped Tera excitedly, accidentally splashing her spoon into the soup and sending droplets into Akira's face. Akira glowered at her, and she looked no different from a panther whose tail just got pulled as a prank. "Oops. Sorry, senpai-of-senpai."

"Apology _not_ accepted," growled Akira as she got up to the sink to wash it off.

Shika ignored their argumentative antics and replied, "Yes, Tera-san. She can't hurt us physically, but we can. This gives us an edge when it comes to fighting her. That was why she unleashed the Witches upon us, hoping that they will finish us off for her."

"Hah, Witches ain't a match for me!" exclaimed Tera proudly. "They're gone before you can say 'tigers are awesome'."

Akira leaned against the kitchen counter, wiping at her wet face, then said, "I can safely say that it's true for all of us, that Witches are the least of our problems. We are all seasoned fighters. But I don't think Akemi is the type who won't see through that. She probably had spies to observe our movements that night after she left, and those very same spies could have already told her that the Witches yesterday failed in their mission to dispose of us. She would have started devising a new plan by now, one that would involve exploiting our weaknesses. At least, that is the hunch that I get from her. We musn't let her discover our weak points, if we are to continue having an advantage over her."

"Damn, son. You're always right, Akira-senpai," marveled Tera, swiveling around on her seat to look at Akira in admiration.

"Of course I am," snorted Akira, again with the hidden sarcasm that Tera once again failed to notice.

Shika had to stiffle a laugh. Even though it had only been twenty minutes into their first real conversation, those two were most certainly going to develop a strong friendship, albeit one that would be fraught with sarcastic arguments and much snorting and growling.

"So, if you're saying that Homura has spies, shouldn't we be more cautious about speaking openly like this?" queried Shika. "They could be listening in to all of this and report it to Homura, where she could then launch an attack at any moment."

"I believe her spies would only be deployed at her command - they are not free ranging," said Akira, sobering up immediately. "I come to this conclusion based on the fact that we have never been attacked up until now. If her spies were indeed free ranging, they would have garnered information about us, and probably also the other Puella Magi, over the months or years - our fighting styles, our lifestyles, our locations and so on, and that would have made us easy targets. Knowing your enemy always gives you an advantage over them."

"When you said that Akemi couldn't attack us physically, I doubt that she knew of the invisible barrier right until she tried to attack one of us and found that she couldn't. She must have been surprised. Thus, she couldn't have known of us at all before the attack, and therefore, even if deployed, her spies would not know where to find us as well. It seems to me that her spies are limited in movement, else she would have commanded them to scour the city regularly for new threats. Akemi seems pretty outdated when it comes to us, the Elementals, almost as if we are a new breed of beings."

"We are, as of yet, still safely tucked away here in Shika's house as long as we don't bring the Demon here ourselves. If she were to know of our location, it would mean huge trouble for us. In conclusion, her spies are tethered and limited in function, they don't know of our location just yet, Akemi would be cooking up a new plot to kill us, and so, we musn't allow her to find us here."

"Damn, son. I wish I had your brain, Akira-senpai," remarked Tera in awe. "It would save me in my maths exams."

"Of course it would," snorted Akira, sarcasm oozing out from every syllable.

"But aren't you from the Music and Art School? Why are you doing maths there?" questioned Shika, confused.

"I wish I knew why, ya know. Stupid maths is living nightmare for me."

"If you studied and paid attention in class, I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem at all, Aido-san," Akira said cynically. "Only thing is, you don't look like you pay attention at all to what the teacher is saying."

"Right on spot!" cheered Tera, unfazed, her eyes shining. "I don't pay attention _at all_. How did you _know_ that, senpai? _Le gasp_!"

"I give up. Nothing reaches that small brain of yours."

" _O-kaay_ , people, back to the topic," said Shika awkwardly. "Let's not talk about maths, shall we?"

"Yes, back to the topic. Tell dodo brain there about the prophecy of the Trio," gestured Akira lazily towards Tera.

"Hey! Dodo brain's not a very nice way to refer to me, Akira-senpai!" yelped Tera. "At least call me tiger brain. That would be much better."

"Alright then, tiger brain," drawled Akira.

"Thank you!" beamed Tera.

"A-anyways, yes, the Trio," said Shika hastily, trying to stop the two from lengthening their banter. "Ancient prophecies of the Incubators have told of the rise of the Demon along with the Trio, or Trinity in an era of disguised peace, who were meant to oppose her. The Trio is composed of the Elementals, who are a unique race of Puella Magi. They are able to manipulate the elements, hold a lot of karmic destinies, and are the catalysts of change in their era. It seems that we are the Trio spoken of in the prophecy, the only Puella Magi capable of killing the Demon. I am still trying to come to grips with it myself... In short, it is up to us to kill Homura Akemi to prevent some sort of apocalypse from happening. And that's really all there is to it."

Tera sat still, thinking about what Shika had told her yesterday night after slaying the nine Witches. _Only we can kill the Demon, and, more of a selfish thing than a noble one, we must kill her first before she kills us. You have no choice but to fulfill this destiny that has been laid out for you, like it or not._ Her voice was like hammer upon metal, her words harsh and unkindly, very unlike the demure, socially-awkward Shika now sitting opposite from her.

"I'm sorry if this overwhelming for you, Tera-san," said Shika apologetically, "But we had to let you know the whole truth as soon as possible in order for us to react to it in the best way possible."

"It's okay, senpai. I'm fine with this whole prophecy. I mean, kicking Demon ass is epic," grinned Tera briefly. "I do know the risks involved, such as us dying in the process, but we never know until we try. We can pull through this, I'm sure. There's one thing though..."

"What is it?"

"Your personality..." Tera cocked her head to one side, folding her arms. "It's unsettling."

A cold atmosphere enveloped the trio. Akira shifted her gaze to the window uneasily, her grip on the counter edge tightening noticeably. Shika hesitated a bit, then said, "What is it about my personality that unsettles you?"

"Well..." Tera shifted about, knotting her fingers nervously. "Its just that you're really creepy at times for some reason... Did something happen to you recently, senpai?"

"No, nothing happened," said Shika all too quickly in a steely voice. "I just had a restless night, that's all."

"Are you sure...?"

"Yes."

Akira went back to the table and dragged her chair next to Shika, sitting down and taking her junior's hands in hers. She looked at Shika with her intense, stormy eye, and said, "Shika dear, you know you can tell me what happened eight months ago. I won't judge, nor say anything. It's affecting your mind visibly, and you always look as if you're ready to burst into tears at any moment. Please... tell me what's wrong. I want to help you."

Shika could not meet Akira's gaze. How could she explain something so complicated and twisted, something that changed her life forever, without making Akira think she had a mental problem?

Tera stood up and put her empty dishes into the sink, saying, "If you need privacy, I can always skedaddle. This is obviously something I'm not meant to hear right now." She promptly disappeared outside (trying not grin because obviously, more yuri manga thoughts were going into her brain). Yuki's joyful bark followed shortly after.

"Okay, Shika darling, we're alone now," said Akira comfortingly. "You can talk about it, and I'll understand that not everything will make sense to me. Scream, yell, kick the chairs, punch me, _anything_. I just want you to let it all out."

Shika swallowed painfully, her hands trembling. Should she tell Akira now? Should she put all her trust into her best friend and show her the horrors of the One Month of Hell? What if Akira didn't believe her? What if Akira hated her after this for telling her the truth? What if-?

Maybe she should stop thinking of the consequences. Maybe she should tell Akira and get it over with. She took a deep breath, and raised her eyes to meet Akira's.

She would tell her now.

The defunct doorbell buzzed like a dying cat. Yuki started barking in greeting, then they could hear Tera's voice happily hailing someone. "Rikka-senpai, Eruna-chan, Kureha-chan! Hi!"

Akira frowned. Just when it looked like Shika was ready to tell her, the guests had to arrive earlier than expected. Shika's resolution to tell Akira about her experience melted away like snow in the sun. She mumbled a 'sorry' to Akira, then got up to greet the visitors, leaving her friend at the table. The white-haired girl absent-mindedly touched the left side of her face and sighed, then cleared the dishes and went back to the bedroom to change out of her nightgown. An increasing anxiety for Shika was building up in her with each passing day.

The wall clock was ticking away merrily, ignorant of the small cluster of people sighing and frowning below it. It chimed a little melody, indicating that it was eight in the morning. Mami glanced at it distractedly, trying to bring her consciousness back to what Oriko was telling them. Lately, her mind had been sluggish and heavy, almost like it were wading through mud in a heavy storm.

"And that concludes our plan for today," finished Oriko. "Any thoughts?"

Mami snapped out of her misty reverie and looked up from her cup of tea. She had missed the whole speech. Oriko saw her dazed look and said, "Is anything wrong, Tomoe-san? Do you have any objections about our next plan?"

"I say I have one," snarled Kyoko across the table, drawing Oriko's attention away from Mami. She slammed a fist onto the glass top, making Yuma flinch. "You think we're all ready to go rushing into trouble like that, then you're mistaken. I'm not about to become a Witch like Sayaka did, so there!"

"Would you calm down? Just because Miki-san died, it doesn't mean that anyone else would. With this new knowledge that our ultimate fate is becoming a Witch through full corruption, we just have to be extra cautious. Besides, we've still got our stock of Grief Seeds and Cubes," said Oriko impatiently.

"Well, I ain't going for this mission," said Kyoko obstinately, her red eyes moist. "It's literally _suicide_. I didn't kill Oktavia just to die the very next day. What would Sayaka say if she knew about the nonsense we were doing?"

Mami folded her hands across her lap neatly and closed her eyes, exhaling. Never was there a day where the meeting could progress without some sort of tension. "Can someone please repeat the plan to me so that I can make my judgement on it?" she asked innocently.

Oriko shot her an annoyed look, then replied, "I was planning to have us head for the old warehouse downtown, where the twins reported to me that they saw the Demon setting up her quarters there. If we could somehow ambush her and kill her, all our problems would be solved. At the rate at which we're going, our Soul Gems won't be purified quickly enough with the Grief Seeds and Cubes we are getting. We have to end this fast, and get rid of Homura Akemi's curse."

Mami thought for a while, then said, "First, where did the twins get that piece of information? Second, how sure are you that we are capable of killing her if she really were there? And third, through her death, would the curse on you even be lifted?"

The twins glanced at each other surreptitiously, but said nothing about it. However, Kirika wouldn't take Mami's objections to her precious Oriko's suggestion without a lashback.

"Bah, you're just sayin' that cause your Soul Gems aren't cursed like ours," spat Kirika. "Lucky you didn't have to meet her face-to-face, not even in school since the curse started right before the summer holidays. Quit bein' selfish and think of others!"

"You're calling Mami selfish? Hah! _Rubbish_!" hissed Kyoko. "Mami's the most selfless person there is in the world, you _dumbasses_!"

"Stop, please!" interjected Mami, reaching out a hand to quell the bickering. "Every single time we meet, a fight breaks out. I don't like this at all, and if this continues, then I'm afraid you would have to go somewhere else to have your meetings. Sakura-san, Chitose-chan, Nagisa-chan and I will gladly withdraw from this Strike Force if it means the end of arguments."

An electrical tension crackled in the air as everyone fell silent. Oriko, though, looked unabashed, her stern posture as rigid as ever. She spoke in a low tone, "I agree with Tomoe-san. If any more arguments erupt, nothing can be achieved. It seems my plan is truly unacceptable as of now, and Tomoe-san here has pointed out its uncertainties. We will leave the raid until we are surer of its truth. Does anyone have any other suggestions?"

Kyoko gave a sideways glance at the twins and saw them shifting about nervously at Oriko's announcement. Although she had never hated them as Sayaka had, she had a gut feeling that those two were not who they seemed to be. They were jumpy all the time lately, and never responded to questions. _Perhaps that was just the way cocky transfer students who went by the surname 'Queen' were,_ she thought to herself, curling her upper lip in disgust.

"I have news, actually," said Mami tentatively. "Yesterday, as we left Kazamino, my ring picked up pulsations from three Puella Magi as they passed us by. I didn't want to mention it then, because of - I'm sorry, Sakura-san - Miki-san's death, but I think it's necessary to say it now. I propose we go back to Kazamino to find these girls and warn them. This time, there won't be festivals to disrupt the magical wavelengths, and we'll stick together for better defense from surprise attacks."

No protests were raised. Kirika and the twins looked subdued and tamed, while Kyoko was just staring out the window, no doubt thinking about Sayaka. Yuma and Nagisa were sitting quietly, too scared to interrupt anything.

"It's settled, then," declared Oriko, her authoritative nature taking over. "We go to Kazamino now."

Tera bear hugged all her friends, obviously overjoyed to have them over. After Shika had invited them inside, she remembered that she was supposed to entertain the guests' needs, like a hospitable host. Not that she had anything to give them, that is. This was the first time she had guests other than Akira in her house. The dark-blue haired girl with bottomless eyes, Rikka Sayuki, whom she assumed was the oldest out of the four, assured her that they didn't expect her to serve them anything. "Having us over at your house is enough of your kind hospitality," she had said, smiling pleasantly.

The foursome from the Kazamino School of Music and Arts were an interesting handful. All were bubbly and friendly, save Eruna Sayuki, Rikka's younger sister. The girl was as quiet as a leopard, but the light in her eyes indicated a crouching lioness, one that would spring upon enemies without hesitation to save her loved ones.

Tera introduced her friends to Shika, and she shook hands with them graciously, automatically forming an impression on each one as she did so.

 _Rikka Sayuki, sixteen, a serene girl with fathomless aquamarine eyes. Composed, yet friendly, lilting accent that is pleasing to the ears, but has that cold edge to her voice if one listens closely. Has the air of a fairy playing the harp in a fog-shrouded forest..._

 _Kureha Chiaki, thirteen, bouncy and loud, probably likes yo be the centre of attention. Started humming a song the moment she stepped into the house and greeted me in a melodic, bird-like voice. A musically-inclined genius, most likely._

 _Eruna Sayuki, fourteen, definitely a stoic, few-words-to-say type. Can't see much into her personality, but she certainly reminds me of a lioness at rest. Not exactly shy nor timid like me, just really quiet._

"Hey senpai, can I tell them about Homura Akemi and the prophecy?" whispered Tera into Shika's ear as her gang was settling down. "It's fine if you don't want me to."

"I don't see any problem with you telling them, so go ahead," replied Shika. _The more allies we have, the better._ She immediately inwardly berated herself for having yet another selfish thought. _Why was she like this_?

Shika retreated into her bedroom after making sure that Tera could handle them alone, and saw Akira standing before the full-body mirror in the corner, seemingly absorbed in her thoughts. When she heard the door creak open, she whipped around, her brows knitted together in consternation, but relaxed when she realised it was her friend.

"Shika darling, you almost gave me a heart attack," remarked Akira, quickly combing her fingers through her long hair. She looked unusually downhearted and weary.

"Were you thinking about... your childhood days again?" asked Shika warily, closing the door behind her.

"You read my mind as if you're reading a book... Yes, I was."

"...Did your scars trigger the memory?"

Akira's fingers brushed the long fringe that covered her left eye. "Somewhat... But you do know that I'm used to them already. It was mainly because Aido-san had asked me why I cover my eye with my hair."

She swept aside the bangs, revealing her eye and gazed into the mirror once more. A terrible scar ten centimetres long ran from her forehead, across her eye, down to her jaw, and the supposed-to-be grey iris was clouded with patches of white and flecks of blood.

Every time Shika saw the full view of the scar, she was unpleasantly reminded that her best friend was half-blind in one eye. No magic could heal it; they've tried countless times and eventually stopped as too much magic was used, but at least the other eye's vision could be kept sharp using her Soul Gem's power.

"The scar on my chest has started throbbing as well," stated Akira dryly, her fingers tugging at the collar of her shirt. Shika could just glimpse the start of the dark red line beneath her right clavicle. "All my scars... They're troubling me all of a sudden."

Shika wasn't the only one with scars from the past. Akira had had it bad as well. Being the only child of the last Oda clan, she was pressured to become its heir and marry into another clan to keep the blood line alive. Discipline and strict regimes were part of her everyday life when she was young. Countless times, she had been told that she can never fail, or the clan would be forever ashamed of her. Afraid of falling short of her prodigious expectations, she fell into a rebel state and tried to run away from home. But her father had brought her back, and...

 _Her father._ The man who had scarred her for life. Beaten her into submission so that she wouldn't disobey him again, slapped her if she so much as made a simple mistake, caned her for holding the katana wrongly, slashed at her face with a dagger meant for training... Her mother had tried to stop him, but she was just pushed away and told that for a child to grow into an all-rounder, physical punishment was needed. As a result, she sustained cuts and bruises over the years - on her left eye, across her chest, between her shoulders, down her abdomen and over her upper right thigh...

But the scars that remained deeply within her, ingrained into her very soul, were the emotional ones given to her by her father.

She had become a Puella Magi at ten years old, wishing to become a great, respectful leader so that her father wouldn't be angry at her anymore. And so far, the wish had worked. She was the Head Girl of her school, best in class at academics, ace in all types of sports, able to play five musical instruments professionally, competent with the blade, and had impeccable manner and poise when needed. But still, her father was never satisfied with her. Always, he would look for the flaws in her and scold her for them, nit-picking over every single little detail. Her mother never helped improve matters - she was only there to back up her husband's ideas.

What must she do in order to finally show her father that she had already done her best to be the best she could? And what could let him know that she had no attraction towards Takahiro Ishida whatsoever, that she wanted to find her own man that she would truly love? Her heart was gaping with holes, bleeding and torn.

Tears filled Akira's eyes, but she quickly wiped them away, refusing to break down while there were guests outside. Shika then took Akira gently by the hands, and sat her down on the chair, saying, "As you always tell me, it's okay to cry."

It was all she needed to hear. Akira hugged her arms and hung her head, shaking in silent sobs. Her tears dripped onto the wooden floor, soaking into them. Shika felt really bad. All this time, she had been selfish and only thought about her own troubles, never once thinking about Akira's problems. She knew about Akira's abusive father, about how he had wanted a son, but got a daughter instead, about how he blamed his wife for not being able to conceive another child for him...

"Shika...?" Akira uttered between her sobs.

"I'm right here." Shika enveloped her senior in a tight embrace, feeling sadder and more useless by the minute. _Why have I not seen that Akira was hurt all this time?_ The senior girl must have kept in those tears, like Shika did, in order to put up a brave front for her junior... _Akira... Strong, brave, amazing Akira... I'm not worthy to be your friend..._ she sighed internally, mouth twisted into a grimace.

"Thank you, Shika," whispered Akira, "You have always been there for me through all my battles, helping me conquer them even if you didn't realise it. Thank you for being the greatest friend I could ever have."

Shika faltered. She couldn't bring herself to tell Akira the truth, that she felt unworthy of being her friend, that she was really a selfish person at heart. Finally, she replied softly, a hint of sadness in her calm voice, "Thank you as well, Akira. If it hadn't been for you, I would have been long dead... If there is anything I can ever do in return for you, just tell me so."

Akira nodded, sniffed a few times and recollected herself like a true samurai queen. She straightened her back, righted her fringe and gave Shika a quick hug. "Go on out and mingle with the guests, Shika dear. I'll join you soon." She gave her junior a small smile, indicating that she was feeling better already.

"Okay." Shika returned the smile, but as she left the room, the smile was wiped off completely. Who was she kidding? Akira could never be happy with a friend like her. She was the epitome of gloom, the very embodiment of despair. She was better off dead than trying to masquerade as this fake, shy person that Akira knew so well. But fate had weird ways of bringing people who needed each other together. Akira had needed Shika as an emotional support as much as Shika had needed Akira for her understanding ways. True friends were indeed the rarest treasure of them all.

The door bell buzzed like a dying cat. Yuki, who was being petted quietly by Eruna, started barking, but this time, she sounded hostile. Tera and her friends stopped chatting, senses on the alert.

"Who's at the door?" squeaked little Kureha, hiding behind Eruna at once. Eruna's pupils dilated, her irises glinting sky blue. Her animal instincts could sense trouble brewing. Meanwhile, Rikka's fingers tingled with the energy that would summon her axes. "If the person is dangerous, we can take them in a rush attack," she said, the coldness in her voice showing itself prominently.

"I'll see who it is first. Stay back unless you see trouble." Taking it into her responsibility to see who was the newcomer, Shika stepped past them and opened the door guardedly.

A tall stranger with ash-blonde hair and piercing green eyes looked down at her with a dispassionate air. Seven other girls stood behind her, peering into the house. Her voice was flat and emotionless.

"So... we finally meet, Puella Magi of Kazamino."


	25. Chapter 23 : New Acquaintances (Chaos)

The ash-blonde visitor stared down at Shika arrogantly. Everything about her screamed of richness, power and control, from the way she dressed in expensive silks down to the very last pin, to the way she held herself in posture and speech. The girls milling behind were presumably under her command, and a brunnette with striking gold eyes standing next to her, arms akimbo, was possibly her top henchman. Animosity hovered between them; Shika did not like the looks of this girl and her company at all.

"Are you going to just stand there and block the doorway?" said the stranger. She spoke as if she were addressing a bug, a mere annoyance that could easily be brushed away. Shika cringed ever so slightly at her high-and-mighty tone. She definitely knew how to throw her weight around others.

"Hey, can't you speak? Are you dumb or somethin'?" growled the brunette, clearly annoyed. Shika furrowed her brows at her, replying tartly, "I'm not dumb, thank you. And who might you be?" She had aimed the question at the ash-blonde. The girl pouted, getting irritated by the holdup, and looked ready to slap Shika. Although her muscles told her to back off and flee, Shika forced herself to stay and face this new threat.

"I was hoping for introductions to be made inside, but if you insist," said the stranger imperiously. "I am Oriko Mikuni, a Puella Magi from Mitakihara City, and I have come here with my forces to recruit you into our cause." Here, she stopped, and one could only wonder how she could expect a person to invite her into their house just by that statement.

At that moment, Rikka stepped into the tense exchange casually, her serene smile playing on her lips. The hidden depths of her eyes, however, were filled with unspoken menace, belying her beautiful, lilting voice. "Pray tell, stranger, what makes you think we would trust you and let you in without a proper explanation? One doesn't simply go around demanding things like a crude beggar. If I were you, I'd be more humble, and humbleness goes a long way." Rikka flashed another venom-filled smile at the tall girl. Even Oriko had to step back a bit, stunned and unnerved by Rikka's deceptive sweetness.

Mami, tired of listening to useless arguments everyday, joined the conversation. She put on the best apologetic face she could, then said to Shika and Rikka, "I am most sorry for that rude introduction by my comrade there, but I can assure you that we bring no harm. We are seeking assistance from other Puella Magi to combat a certain threat in the form of a Demon. We would really appreciate it if you would allow us in so as we can discuss more about this."

Shika froze. They knew about Homura Akemi as well. This was another opportunity for her to obtain more allies. The larger their numbers, the harder it would be for Homura to oppose them. But, the larger the group, the more difficulties would crop up from clashing interests and ideas. Should she let them in and explain themselves, and possibly form an alliance, or should she turn down their offer and handle things herself, with her own friends?

The protesting creak of her bedroom door told her that Akira had come out, and her resolute footsteps were heading towards them. Shika's mind worked quickly. If Akira found out that the leader of the Mitakihara group was a power-hungry, contemptous girl, she would surely try to show her who the real boss was... namely herself. She couldn't stand rich people who used their status to act all snobby and commandeering, and that was what made Akira different from the many nobles and higher-ups. She was down-to-earth and as humble as earth itself.

Shika lowered her voice so that only Oriko and her members could hear, saying, "I would let you in on the condition that in no way must you upset anyone in this house. Speak politely, be respectful... and don't start any arguments."

"You have my word," said Oriko impatiently. "Now let us in." The way she had said that, she hadn't sounded sincere at all. Shika glanced at Rikka for confirmation, who simply tilted her pretty head to one side and shrugged. Her depthless eyes silently told her that if trouble was at hand, her musical quartet would be more than capable of handling these unwanted visitors for her. Shika hoped they wouldn't have to resort to violence, stepping aside and allowing Oriko and her gang to enter.

The Strike Force was met by Kureha's cheerful greeting. "Ohaiyo-gozaimasu! Hello, friends!" The little girl waved happily at them, blissfully unaware of the fragile, glass-like tension between the two companies. Eruna shot Oriko a stare, her gaze as piercing as her sister's was deep. Yuki then padded over to Shika, her hackles raised and fur bristling as she growled a low warning for the newcomers. _Mess with my mistress, and you mess with me._

"I'm afraid my house lacks chairs for so many people, so we would have to make do with sitting on the floor. Is that okay with everyone?" said Shika, smiling nervously. The kind blonde from before nodded with a friendly beam, though Oriko had wrinkled her nose in contempt. Everyone sat down, crossing their legs or hugging their knees. Akira then appeared out of nowhere, taking her place next to Shika and Tera. She sat in stern seiza and placed her hands neatly on her lap, her back straight, her head held high. The aura of her inner samurai was radiating off of her. One would never even guess that she had been crying just five minutes ago. The Mitakihara group seemed to be cowed by her presence.

"Now that we are settled, let us introduce ourselves," Oriko proclaimed. "Once again, I am Oriko Mikuni, age fifteen, daughter of the former politician of Mitakihara. I expect this meeting to go well. Pleased to make your acquaintance." Akira's one eye became a slit, indicating her displeasure. Here was another fool who went about flaunting her high status, stomping over everyone and making them obey.

"I am Mami Tomoe, fifteen. Delighted to meet you all," said the blonde girl with the curly pigtails.

"Kirika Kure, fifteen, pleased to meet'cha," said the brunette, grinning widely.

"Kyoko Sakura, fifteen... Why are we even telling you our age...? Nice to meet you all," grumbled the red-haired girl. She didn't look like she was enjoying this.

"Yuma Chitose, nine years old! And this is my friend Nagisa Momoe, ten! Hello!" Two small girls waved at them, one green haired, their other white haired. Shika was oddly reminded of herself and Akira when they were younger.

And finally, "Estella Queen, fourteen, and this is my twin, Luna. A pleasure to be here," said the short haired tomboy in halting Japanese, her twin next to her.

So these were the Mitakihara Puella Magi. They looked like a formidable bunch, especially the older girls. Having them as allies would greatly help in the effort to bring down Homura Akemi, but would they get along well enough to form the synergy needed to take down the Demon? The Kazamino side introduced themselves next.

"I'm Shika Kiyomizu, seventeen. Err... Hi... Oh, and this is my dog, Yuki... She's a Shiba Inu," she finished lamely. Everyone gave her a face that said 'Obviously'. She shrunk into herself, wanting to escape this awkward situation.

"Akira Oda, eighteen, last descendant of the samurai clan of Nobunaga Oda," declared Akira, matching Oriko's haughty tone. "My blades never hesitate to mete out punishment, especially for those for don't know their position." She stared directly at Oriko, challenging her. Oriko glared back, unperturbed by the threat.

"Let's not get into a squabble, shall we?" interjected a melodic, lilting voice. The two girls simmered down at once, looking away. "Rikka Sayuki, sixteen. Happiness is my life goal. Music is my best friend."

"Eruna Sayuki. Fourteen. I'm not a Puella Magi," said Eruna, not bothering to elaborate.

"Tera Aido, at your service," smirked Tera. "MMA master and guitar extraordinaire. Just say the word, and I'll strum ya a song."

"Kureha Chiaki, thirteen! I love music, and I love my friends!" she bubbled energetically.

The fourteen girls sized each other up, and for a while, everyone was speechless, judging... Eruna swept her gaze over them, then said slowly, "Wasn't there supposed to be a meeting?"

Oriko took control at once. "Yes, we are here for a very serious meeting. Thank you for reminding me, Sayuki-san." She launched into the story of how they had regained their memories of being Puella Magi, of meeting Homura and having their Soul Gems cursed, and how they had been trying to keep up with the corruption but was failing. This had led them to begin devising plans to kill Homura, but they were unconfident that they would be able to destroy her without getting themselves killed in the process. Hence, they had come searching for other Puella Magi to join them in their coup d'état.

"Just to confirm, you said you lost your memories of being Puella Magi, didn't you?" Akira enquired. Oriko nodded. "Yes, and I would have thought that all Puella Magi in this world be affected, so are you not?"

"No. Our memories are intact. Never was there a day where we forgot we were Puella Magi." The Kazaminoans affirmed it, muttering amongst themselves. Mami pursed her lips. "How come we are the only ones affected?"

"I do not know. Maybe Akemi has her own reasons for doing that. She must have been protecting something in the city from seeing the Puella Magi activity, and the only way to do so would be to make them all forget about their duties," said Akira. "She would have no reason to waste her magic on those not associated with the city, and thus, we were safe from her memory wiping."

"Damn, son. Right as ever," marveled Tera. "I'm gonna steal those brains of yours one day, Akira-senpai, just you wait."

"Oooh, I'm _sooo_ scared," Akira said, wiggling her fingers and pretending to be frightened. " _Mercy_ , please don't rip my brains out."

"Ngeh. Rippin' is too messy. I'll suck 'em out with a vacuum pump, if you don't mind."

"Of course you would. Go ahead."

" _O-kaay_ , you two, leave the sarcastic dialogue for later," hushed Shika. She turned her attention onto the Mitakiharans and said, "What are you proposing to do, then? And how are we supposed to help? If you can outline your plans, we might just agree."

Mami looked at Oriko, imploring her to not go all autocratic on them. Akira had not been pleased by Oriko's introduction, and had already hinted that people like her were not welcome in this circle. She hoped the ash-blonde girl would keep her arrogance sealed up tightly while conveying her ideas. If only she were the leader, she would ensure that disputes between comrades were only the stuff of movies.

Oriko began to outline her ideas as the others listened carefully. "I am planning to have you all move to our city where we shall turn my house into our headquarters. I can confidently provide for everyone's needs, and the rooms are spacious enough to accommodate fourteen people on top of my servants. You are all to follow my orders closely and we will hold frequent meetings to determine our next mode of action. On no account is anyone liable to disobey orders. Movements will be strictly regulated to ensure that no one is ever caught out alone at the mercy of the Demon. Once we have a proper plan, we will execute it together accordingly, and soon enough, Homura Akemi will fall. Teamwork and obedience are crucial for this, and I expect no shirking of duties."

"Sounds like a frickin' army camp," hissed Tera under her breath. Next to her, Akira's eye ticked in irritation, but she said nothing. It was Kureha who pointed out her thoughts, talking in a bird-like way, "I know I'm younger than most of you, and I know my opinion won't weigh much, but I think it's a _horrible_ idea. You should never force people to do something against their will. The way you were saying it, it sounded as if we had no choice in the matter. Well, I personally don't like it."

Rikka wondered at Kureha's brave, honest statement. She decided to put in her thoughts as well, making sure to pick her words carefully. "I agree with Kureha-chan. Your idea is close-ended. You don't allow flexibility at all, and you sound like you expect to succeed, even if the odds are against you. I can sense that it won't be productive in any way to have us all stay in your house, to be at your every beck and call." She shrugged nonchalantly, then added, "If you think you can make us obey you, think again."

"Hey, that's no way to talk to Oriko!" flared up Kirika, balling her fists. "You better apologise!"

"What makes you think I will?" shot back Rikka, her beautiful eyes sparkling with peril. "I have said nothing offensive, and I do not intend to apologise."

"Why you-!" Kirika made to stand up, but Kyoko dragged her back down, feeling hot and bothered. "Give it a rest, you," she snarled at Kirika. The brunette stuck out her tongue at Rikka, and said no more. Rikka just smiled, amused.

The nerve on Oriko's temple pounded furiously. "Would the knowledge that our ultimate fate through full corruption is that of turning into a Witch change your minds?"

"Isn't that a given?" said Tera, surprised. "We all know we're gonna turn into Witches if we allow our Soul Gems to corrupt fully. C'mon, woman, you can do better than that. Give us new information that we don't know."

Oriko blanched at Tera's casual disregard for respect. But then again, the girl didn't seem to be a pure local. She had a distinct American accent mixed into her Japanese speech. She raised a finger, about to confirm the fact with Tera, but the tiger-girl was faster.

"Just before you ask me if I'm a halfling, yes, I'm half-American, half-Japanese," Tera said helpfully. "So if I talk total trash, that's just my American blood taking over. No offense, dudette."

Wrinkling her nose in distaste, Oriko replied, "Unfortunately for you, I am already offended. But I shall let that pass for now. This is indeed interesting news. We never knew that we were doomed to become Witches should we fail to cleanse our Soul Gems up until Sayaka Miki's death."

"Would you _stop_ talking about her death as if you were talking about _daisies in a field_?" snarled Kyoko, her hands shaking. Obviously, Oriko had touched a sensitive subject, but she just gave the red-head a silencing stare. Kyoko gnashed her teeth in seething impatience, and Akira became even more disgusted by Oriko and her blatant lack of human sensitivity.

"As I was saying," resumed Oriko, "Our ally died and turned into a Witch through Homura's doing, and it was then that we realised that we can't fight the Demon with our own forces, largely numbered as we are. We require your help, and I don't care if you think the idea is flawed. For now, we move with the flow, and we do what we can. Improvision and flexibility will be our forté. My house will be ready for your stay in two days time. Pack your belongings and get ready-"

"Woah, woah, woman!" exclaimed Tera, holding up her hands. "Since when did we-" she gestured to her Kazaminoan friends "-agree to move into your blasted house? Don't count your kittens till they're born."

Oriko's nostrils flared as she said in her haughtiest tone, "Orders are to be obeyed without question, Aido-san!"

"And who are you to dish out orders like that? The God of the Underworld?" Tera retorted, baring her fangs.

"Y-you! How dare you!" screamed Oriko, pointing a finger at Tera. The tiger was far from daunted though, and looked ready to snap off Oriko's finger. Kirika yelled and jumped in front of her friend, arms spread wide. "If you so much as move from that spot, I will tear you to shreds!"

"Just you try and do that, Brownie," spat Tera. "You've obviously never been in a fist fight before."

"Oh, damn you, you're a feisty one," growled Kirika, getting ready to pounce.

Mami buried her face in her palms, Akira rolled her eyes, Shika suddenly became very interested in her toes. Rikka just sighed and said, "My little tiger, please don't start a scene."

Tera got distracted long enough by Rikka for Kirika to launch herself at her. The two bodies bowled over and rammed into the kitchen table, upsetting it. Eruna and Akira, who were next to Tera, quickly jumped away and subsequently crashed into Shika. Kureha gave a shriek and scrambled off as Yuki started to bark deafeningly. The twins gave each other a worried glance, while Kyoko and Mami shook their heads, surrendering the thought that there could ever be peace during Puella Magi meetings.

"You fudgin' Brownie, get off of me!" yowled Tera, as Kirika pressed down hard upon her, keeping her locked to the floor.

"Not until you apologise to Oriko!"

"Stop this!" came Rikka's hard voice, but they didn't heed her.

"Sheesh, what is it with you and Oriko Mikuni?!" said Tera.

"Just shut up and apologise!" Kirika threatened.

"Or else what?"

"I'll gut you with my claws!" yelled Kirika, her metallic claws materialising on her fists. Tera gave one incredulous look at the weapons, then said, "You're messin' with the wrong gal, Brownie. You want them fists? I'll show you fists!"

"No, Tera-chan, _don't_ -!" Rikka called out. But she was too late. With a mighty roar, Tera kicked Kirika square in the stomach, then rolled up and set her fists on fire. Kirika groaned in pain as she tried not to throw up. The twins rushed out to help their senior, but was roughly pushed away. "Get away, this is my fight," she said darkly. Oriko continued to stay at her position, her unfeeling stare bothering Akira more and more.

"Err... I don't think this fighting will get us anywhere..." squeaked Shika, but nobody heard her. They were all too horrifically mesmerised by the fight.

Tera smacked her fists together hard. "When I said I was an MMA master, I wasn't kiddin'. You about to taste the fire of fury, woman!"

Kirika growled and rushed her, trying to use her slowing magic to catch Tera off guard, but the tiger not one to be taken lightly. Switching to her judo skills, she used Kirika's weight against her, flipping her to the floor painfully with one easy move. But Kirika wasn't about to submit. She raked her claws across Tera's abodomen, neatly scratching the surface and tearing the front of her shirt.

Rikka gasped, then relaxed when she saw that the claws had not sunk deep. Then Homura's words played in her head again. _Kill her for me, and you would make me very happy._ Suddenly, Rikka became very stricken. She found herself hoping that Kirika would kill Tera for her, then severely admonished herself for ever thinking of such a vile thing. She turned her mind back to the fight, her breathing becoming shallow. _Would Kirika manage to kill Tera, though?_

Tera ducked backwards to assess the damage, and scowled when she saw the tear. "That was my favourite shirt, Brownie! _Oh, you're so gonna pay_!"

She dashed towards Kirika, landing an impressive uppercut on the brunette's jaw. Kirika flew into the kitchen counter and smashed into the wooden doors, groaning. She got up at once, enraged, and rushed Tera once more.

"When will you ever learn-" Tera readied her judo stance, hands ready to grab, "-that rushing at me won't do you no good?" She looked ready to kill Kirika, her lips drawn back in a snarl and her cat-eyes aflame with untamed anger.

It was then that the twins appeared at Kirika's side, with Luna shouting, "Kirika-senpai, you'll get slaughtered, stop!" Estella grabbed Kirika's right arm and pulled hard, hoping to halt her senior, but instead of preventing further injury, she caused even more. Kirika, who couldn't stop her forward momentum, accidentally wrenched her arm downwards, and because Estella was holding onto it, the bone snapped at the radius and ulna with an appalling crack.

Everyone sucked in a sharp breath, too aghast to even move. Tera forgot her wrath in a split second and hurried over to Kirika. The brunette was howling and writhing on the floor, her broken arm splayed before her uselessly. Estella stammered and looked around wildly, uttering, "I-I didn't mean to- I'm sorry, senpai- I-" Luna, who was equally shaken, tried to summon her healing magic, but before the silver tendrils could even form around Kirika's arms, they hissed and sputtered, then dissolved into thin air.

"I can't heal her!" Panic seized Luna as she tried again, but each time, the silver magic disappeared as soon as it was called up. Oriko, who was already by Kirika and holding her good hand tightly, said to Mami urgently, "Call a cab now, we have to get Kirika to the hospital!" Mami floundered about for her phone in her bag and fished it out, about to dial a number when Akira came over. She said apprehensively, "I have a car, and I can drive her to the hospital using the shortest route. If you would allow it, then get Kure-san into the car right now."

Oriko gave her a begrudging stare, but agreed. Together, the two girls supported a moaning Kirika into Akira's car. The twins offered to follow, since it was their fault, and very soon, Akira was speeding off for the Kazamino General Hospital. Everyone was in an uproar - Tera bumbling around in disbelief, Rikka and Eruna trying to console her, Kureha, Nagisa and Yuma hiding behind Yuki, Mami and Kyoko at the doorway with Oriko, seeing off Kirika...

Shika inhaled slowly and deeply, telling herself to calm down. Her earlier warning for Oriko and her friends to maintain a civil attitude had evidently fallen on deaf ears. But part of it was hers to blame as well. She hadn't managed to stop Tera from fighting with Kirika, and she was in her own house, where she was supposed to have more assertion over the others. She was too timid to do anything.

A furry head nudged her hand, and warm, chocolate eyes gazed at her lovingly. _It's not your fault, Shika. It happened all to quickly for anyone to take any action,_ came Yuki's voice in her head. Shika gave Yuki's ears a gentle scratch as she tried to give her dog a smile, but could only force a nod.

At the doorway, Oriko sighed heavily. Mami was wearing a worried expression, while Kyoko just grumbled and folded her arms across her chest. "This is all my fault," voiced out Oriko in remorse. "I let my temper get the better of me, and Kirika, being the protective person she is, took the message wrongly and attacked Aido-san. Oh dear... What am I to do now?"

"Maybe you can start with an apology, especially to Kiyomizu-san," Mami said soothingly. "I'm sure she will forgive you, as well as Aido-san. Just explain to them nicely."

Kyoko gave a small snort, apparently thinking that Oriko would only apologise when pigs could fly. Mami shot her a warning glance, and Kyoko huffed and looked away. "What? Do you think I'm the sort of person who can't handle judgement?" Oriko said, daring Kyoko to reply her. The red-head gave her leader the evil eye, and stormed back into the house. Mami reached for her, but decided against it.

"Am I that repulsive?" said Oriko flatly after Kyoko's departure.

"To be honest... sometimes, yes."

"I see..."

Meanwhile, Rikka had gotten Tera into the bathroom to change out of her ripped shirt and to splash some water onto her face in hopes of bringing the tiger back to her senses. As Tera cupped her hands over the flowing water, Rikka hovered behind, a pocket-sized black dagger hidden up her long sleeve. She bit her lip to prevent herself from crying out at what she was about to do. Flipping her hand deftly so that the small weapon slid into her fingers, she approached Tera's exposed back, pretending to be occupied by something on her shirt.

"Hey, Rikka-senpai?" came Tera's dejected voice. Rikka started and almost yipped, but kept her composure under control as she replied, "What is it, Tera-chan?"

"Why do I always fly into a rage? Am I that violent? What the _bloody hell_ is wrong with me?!" Tera shut off the tap and turned around to face Rikka (Rikka had rapidly flipped the dagger back into her long sleeve). "I wanted to _kill_ her, senpai. I actually wanted to kill her..."

Rikka swallowed. "M-maybe you were stressed out from all the events up until now. You've had no time to think things through, so it's only natural for you to feel messed up."

"But wanting to kill someone is crazy! Senpai, please tell me I'm not going mad," implored Tera. She was shaking visibly.

"No, no, you're not going mad, Tera-chan..." _It's me who's the one that's going mad,_ she thought to herself distressingly. Nonetheless, she wore her stoic mask and gave Tera a hug, patting her on the back. The dagger slipped out from her sleeve once more, and she readied it in her hand.

"You'll be fine, my little tiger. It's already over... Don't think about it anymore."

One thrust was all it would take to kill the girl. Just one thrust. But with Tera holding onto her right now, all the wonderful memories she had with her best friend twirled and pranced about in her head - pranking their music teacher, singing her favourite songs as Tera played the piano, sitting by the fireplace together on a cold winter day, how Tera was always there to cheer her up when she was depressed...

 _I can't do this._

The dagger slipped from her fingers and dissolved into black smoke as Rikka began to cry. Tera was surprised, and didn't notice the dissipating smoke coiling behind her. The tiger held Rikka's shoulders and came out of the embrace, saying in a worried tone, "Rikka-senpai? What's wrong? Why are you crying? C'mon, tell me and we'll sort it out."

Rikka shook her pretty head, the sob pressing hard against her throat as she lied through her teeth. "I'm fine... Just very happy that no one was hurt badly..." Tera seemed to trust her, as she was very often prone to tears, so that was good. But how long could she keep up this façade? Black swirls crept up into the Soul Gem on her ring, and she gulped. Her corruption was speeding up, feeding on her anguish.

She didn't have much time left.

Oriko re-entered the house and approached Shika and Yuki. She looked unusually mild, but still assertive. Shika got up from her chair at once, startled by her approach. Oriko had to admit that she looked remarkably like the animal she was named after - a deer, and a frightened one at that.

"Kiyomizu-san, I am here to apologise on Kirika's behalf, as well to apologise for my poor behaviour during our short-lived meeting," said Oriko in the most humble way she could muster.

Shika rubbed the back of her neck timidly at the apology, and replied, "It's fine, Mikuni-san. Next time, though, mind telling us when you would be coming over? That way, everyone can be mentally prepared for any news that anyone may have."

"You have my word," acknowledged Oriko. "I am planning to have another one this Saturday morning, nine a.m. at the Mitakihara Central Park. Attendance is compulsory."

Scarcely a minute ago, Shika had thought that Oriko may have a kinder, more democratic side to her, but was she ever so wrong. She bit back a sharp remark and merely said, "That I cannot guarantee you. The musicians would probably have their band practices, and Akira and I have our own matters to tend to."

"I insist that you all be there," commanded Oriko.

Shika was chagrined. She found her usual placid self turning choleric as she resisted the urge to tell Oriko to know her position as her junior and guest. "And I insist that you stop speaking as if you are in charge. I take orders from no one, and neither does Akira."

Oriko's expression turned sour, the corners of her mouth turning down in an ugly frown. "In any way, I still expect to see you all there. I am still insisting that you should all move into my house."

Shika looked heavenwards and closed her eyes tight. Her patience with this girl was running thin. "Mikuni-san, if you cannot understand what the word 'manners' mean, I have a dictionary which I can lend to you."

"I politely decline, Kiyomizu-san," said Oriko coldly. "I was brought up to act in the best manners I could, and I take pride in it. I am simply stating my opinion, and I expect them to be followed."

"Maybe you can prove your manners to me by getting out of this house," gritted Shika, her forest green eyes becoming dangerously hooded. Yuki growled viciously at Shika's side, emphasising the point. Oriko paled slightly at the sight of the Shiba Inu, and was about to move away when her cell phone rang. She excused herself and picked up the call from Estella.

"Hello? Mikuni-senpai? We've just reached and admitted Kirika into the ER," said Estella. "Her bone snapped cleanly, so thankfully there are no shards or anything, else she would have to undergo a surgery to remove them. For now, the doctor's putting a cast and sling on her, and she would have to take painkillers to relieve the agony. The healing process would take a long time, though."

"Thank goodness it's nothing serious..."said Oriko, cupping a hand to her cheek in relief. She felt a great burden release itself from her chest.

"Luna and I will stay here with her. Oda-senpai is on the way back. Maybe you can get the others over as well to meet Kirika-senpai."

"Yes, I will do that. I'll see you there soon, Queen-san."

Shika went into her poker-face mode when Oriko turned back to her. She asked tonelessly, "How's your friend? Is she okay?"

"She'll do fine," Oriko replied harshly. "As for Aido-san, I will talk to her when we meet on Saturday. Goodbye, Kiyomizu-san, and have a nice day."

Shika dipped her head in farewell, and ushered Oriko to the door. Mami and Kyoko were already there, deep in some sort of discussion. They waved over Nagisa and Yuma, who were playing with Kureha and Eruna, and they ran over. "Is it time to go back, Kyoko?" enquired Yuma, "Awww, we were just having fun pretending to be singers with Kureha-senpai and Eruna-senpai."

"You can play pretend with me anytime you want to," teased Kyoko, tapping her young charge lightly on the nose. Yuma giggled and hugged Kyoko around he waist, saying, "Okay, let's go back now. Byeee, Kureha-senpai, Eruna-senpai!"

Kureha waved them goodbye, a big grin plastered on her face, while Eruna gave them a cool smile. Shika went over to the two musicians as the Mitakiharans left, and sat down next to them, socially drained. Never before had she have to entertain this many guests at one time, and they were quite disruptive guests as well, to say the least.

"Just take some time to gather your thoughts, Kiyomizu-senpai," said Eruna levelly. "I know how it feels like to have a tornado of people invade your house. I personally can't stand having people around as well."

Shika was taken aback. "H-how did you know I didn't like social situations?"

"Hmm, takes one to know one," was the reply. Shika accepted it readily enough.

"By the way, where's your sister and Tera-san?" she asked. Eruna pointed to the bathroom door. "Who knows what they're doing in there. It's been ten minutes already."

The door opened and the two girls stepped out, with Rikka still sniffling. "Speak of the devil," remarked Kureha. Eruna immediately went to her sister and took her hands, saying something softly. Rikka shook her head, tears returning to her eyes. Shika felt uneasy, and contemplated whether she should see what was wrong, but Kureha told her that she should stay out of it. Yuki pattered over to the threesome and whined, and they all fell around the dog and hugged her. Trust the Shiba Inu to fix things.

After a few minutes, Rikka came over to Shika, who was having an idle chat with Kureha, and told her that they were going to excuse themselves.

"Thank you for having us over, Kiyomizu-san," beamed Rikka, her eyes crinkling with her lovely smile. Shika wanted to ask her if she was okay, but decided against it. It must have been something private, that only Tera and her group should know about.

"It was my pleasure to have you here," Shika bowed her head briefly, and Rikka returned the gesture.

"Remember to come over to visit if you're ever feeling down, Rikka-senpai. I'll be here," said Tera, clearly concerned for her friend. Eruna told her that she would call her if something were to happen to Rikka, to which Rikka playfully punched her in the arm. Shika saw them off at the gate with Tera and Yuki. As their receding figures disappeared around the corner, Akira's car drove up. She parked it below the cherry blossom outside Shika's house, and emerged from the driver's compartment, looking absolutely frazzled.

"I am never sending ungrateful brats to the hospital ever again," she complained as she slammed the car door shut. Striding over to Shika, she said in an outrage, "You would never believe what that Kure-brat told me! Hellsteeth, she had the nerve to shout at me and make me follow her orders just because she was in pain. Really, kids these days...ugh."

"Woah, woman, slow down," said Tera as they walked into the house. "But really, with a person like Brownie, no doubt you'd get all angry."

The trio righted the furniture (which had gone askew when Tera was brawling with Kirika) and gathered around the kitchen table. Akira had her chin propped on her hands as she related the trip to the Kazamino General Hospital. They winced when she told them that Kirika demanded her to call the doctors, screaming and yelling at the top of her voice to gain attention.

"What a kid," tsked Tera. "Even little Kureha-chan has more sense than that Brownie."

Shika then told them about Oriko and her order for the meeting this Saturday. Akira's face flashed with annoyance, while Tera pounded her fist on the table, groaning.

"She expects us to travel all the way to Mitakihara to meet her? In her _dreams_! I've had enough of that spoiled President's daughter," said Akira, her forehead creasing up.

Shika sighed in resignation. "That's what I told her, but she wouldn't take no for an answer..."

"Guess we hafta go, eh?" Tera leaned back on the chair and placed her arms behind her head, her expression dull. "Great, I have to look at Brownie's ugly mug again."

"You're not the only one who's dead excited to see them again," groused Akira, checking her nails absent-mindedly.

"Since it's agreed then, could you phone up your friends and let them know of it, Tera-san?" said Shika, somewhat reluctantly. "Eruna-san is free to tag along if she wants to, even if she isn't a Puella Magi."

"Yeah, I'll tell them. They won't be pleased."

The trio lounged at the table in awkward silence, then Akira finally stood up, saying, "I'm going to call my parents to tell them about my absence. Aido-san, get ready with a list of things you need from your home, I'll bring you over when I'm done so that you can get them."

"Aye aye, sir, I'll get to it now." Tera slipped off her chair and went into the bedroom to get her phone and to write down a list.

As the two were busy with their own business, Shika walked into the small garden with Yuki and they sat at their favourite spot, looking at the mid-morning sky. Snatches of Akira's conversation with her parents drifted over, and by the sound of it, it wasn't going well. Shika hoped Akira wouldn't get into an argument with her parents, and land herself into even more problems than she had right now.

"Hey, Yuki, do you think we should work with Oriko Mikuni?" asked Shika, leaning on her dog's furry side. "She seems to think too highly of herself, and I can even see signs of tension between her own members. What more if we, total strangers, were to join them? It would be a disaster."

"One can never know until they try it. But then again, that Mikuni girl did not strike my fancy at all. I don't think you'd be able to knock any sense into her even if you did join," said the white dog. "For now, just go and meet them once more, and if it still doesn't work out, then you would have to put your foot down and tell her that you and your friends are out of the deal."

"I guess you're right..." She drew up her legs and hugged them, resting her head on her knees. The cherry blossom outside swayed with the wind, some stray pink petals from spring dancing onto the lawn in front of Shika. The sun shone strongly down, but the girl and her dog didn't mind, the two companions relaxing in its rays. The sky was as blue was cornflowers, and the summer scent of the nearby forest wafted across, filling the air with a pleasant smell. Life was beautiful after all, Shika sighed contentedly. She began to drift off, her eyelids drooping in the lazy heat. Yuki yawned cavernously next to her, her pink tongue curling up as she settled onto the grass for a nap.

"Shika darling, Aido-san and I are off to her her house to collect her stuff," came Akira's voice, her hand tapping Shika's arm lightly. The green-haired girl woke up in a daze. "O-oh, okay. Do you have the spare keys to the house? I'm going to the animal shelter soon, so I'm gonna lock the house."

"Yup, they're right here." Akira tossed the keys in her palm and caught them expertly. She ruffled Shika's hair, and said, "I'll be off then, take care, darling."

"You too, Akira," smiled Shika, and her face lit up with warm happiness. To have a great friend and a great dog... What else could she ask for?

She watched the two bickering as they entered the car, with Akira muttering something about a piano. Yup, they were definitely going to become good friends. She listened to the sound of the engine thrumming away, getting softer and softer, and finally, all was quiet again. She stayed in the sun for another five minutes, feeling the blithe relaxation, then went back inside to change into jeans and a suitable T-shirt. She woke Yuki, fitted her collar onto her and clipped her to the leash. They went out and locked the door and closed the gate, then set off for the animal shelter. It was conveniently ten minutes away.

"Let's check out the Akita pup together today, Yuki," grinned Shika, walking cheerily. The thought of seeing her beloved animals cheered her up considerably. "You can finally be a mom if we adopt him!" She twirled her long hair that she always slung across her right shoulder with her fingers, humming lightly. Yuki gave a mock growl, "I ain't becomin' no mom, so there. Haha!"

Shika tugged at her dog's leash playfully. "Surely, you don't mean that, you old warhound?"

"Oh, I totally mean it," laughed the Shiba Inu.

"We'll see, Yuki. We'll see," chuckled the girl.

Swiftlets cartwheeled over the two friends, taking part in their glee, and the tree branches all around the path bent over with the wind, whispering words of joy for all to hear.

Even with a Demon haunting their minds, life still went on for the Puella Magi.


	26. Chapter 24 : Tension

All across the sky, leaden clouds lay low, disgorging their weight onto the earth below. Rain fell in light sheets across the city of Mitakihara, shrouding the area in gloom. The droplets hissed and jumped on the tar road, collecting into small puddles. Mist rose in swirls of white and grey, and the sun was not to be seen. It was indeed a depressing Saturday morning.

Estella and Luna stood under the shade of a gazebo overlooking the Central Park. They were early; no one else had arrived just yet. The park was covered in a veil of haziness, lending it a mystical air. Birds chirruped in the trees, singing their heralding song to the morning despite the lack of tell-tale sunshine. All around, flowers dipped their heads in humble repose, heavy with rain and dew. However, the beauty was lost upon the twins as they frowned and sighed, fidgeting about.

"Luna, do you think Kirika-senpai is hurt badly enough to not be able to fight Witches?" asked Estella in an unsteady voice.

"It seems so..." said her twin sister, Luna. She was braiding her hair deftly; her head seemed to be in the clouds. "The doctor warned her against any physical activity, and that would include Witch or Wraith hunting. I'd say she wouldn't be able to defend anyone any more, much less herself."

"I can't believe I actually broke her arm..." Estella slapped her forehead in frustration. "Why on earth did I do that?!"

"Calm down, sis. Being angry at something that's already done is useless..." Luna gazed blearily across the neat lawn, which was dotted by similar gazebos here and there. "...It's too late to turn back now anyway."

Estella leaned on the pillar, letting her eyelids close as she heaved a weary sigh. "Yeah... It's already too late."

It was all Akira could do to not turn around and scream at the passengers in the back seat of her car. Her right eye twitched in a spasm of irritation, while Shika, who was sitting next to her, tried to keep her face straight. Tera and Kureha were hollering out a song from the top of their heads, making up the lyrics as they sang.

 _"And then the chef said to the baker, O' kind sir, your bread is heavenly-"_

 _"-but lacks the flavour-"_

 _"-so if you don't mind, I'll just chuck in some-"_

 _"-Smelly old socks! Ahaha!"_

 _"-And ooh la la, doesn't it taste top hole now?"_

 _"-And the air stewardess said to the mechanic, O' kind sir, that machine you are making-"_

 _"-Looks just like a kamquat!"_

 _"-And he said 'Ermahgerd' I wanted it to look like a blasted pomelo!"_

 _"-And the sa-"_

Akira whipped around, her one eye glaring at the two raucous girls, finishing the song for them, "And the samurai said to the musicians, shut the hell up or I'll throw you two out the car!"

It only succeeded in making the girls laugh even harder. Rikka, although looking a bit down, gave a giggle, while Eruna just looked plain bored. Shika chided Akira, saying jokingly, "Keep your eye on the road, O' great samurai."

Akira gave them her famous snort and looked front again, mumbling something murderous.

"H-hey, Akira-senpai, don't get mad, we were only having fun," said Tera hurriedly. "Sorry if we annoyed you or anything..."

"Oh. My. _God_." Akira whipped her head around once more, putting on a mock, shocked face. "Did I just hear Aido _apologise_ to me? _Mercy_ , the world's gonna end today."

"Stop turning around and look at the road, Akira!" gasped Shika, panicky. "What if a crazy lorry hurtles out of nowhere?"

"The great samurai will simply avoid it, won't she?" purred Tera, a mocking smile etched on her lips.

"Of course I will," snorted Akira, hiding a grin. "Like, duh. Why won't I avoid it?"

" _Akira_!"

"Okay, okay, Shika darling! Stop turning into a panicked deer every time I look away from the road, can you?"

Akira weaved through the busy streets, checking the time. It was a quarter to eight, fifteen minutes more to the designated meeting time. Rain began to fall as they entered Mitakihara, and Kureha groaned. "But I don't like rain. It's so gloomy!"

They got off at the parking lot of the Central Park, getting out their umbrellas. The air was choked with mist, and their vision was limited.

"What the hell is up with this mist? I can barely see two metres in front of me," Tera complained, swatting at the condensed water droplets with her hand.

"Heh, it is this type of weather that I excel best when fighting," said Akira with a smirk. "Ice forms ever so easily with mist about." She extended her fingers in front of Tera's face and made the droplets freeze into the shape of a tiger, pouncing and prancing about. It bared it's tiny fangs at the girl and swiped out with a claw, then exploded into mist once more. Tera's tigerish features lit up with awe. With a simple snap, Akira then froze an entire circle of ice around them, forming a barrier, and with another snap, it was gone, leaving behind flakes of snow. Kureha's eyes shone as she caught the flakes on her tongue like a child who just witnessed snow for the first time.

"You great big show-off," chuckled Shika.

"Well, can't help wanting to do some summoning practice," shrugged Akira, smiling smugly.

"Oda-senpai, how do you do that? Oh, oh, can you teach me?" Kureha squealed, jumping up and down in excitement.

"Unfortunately, no." She winked at the little girl. "It's a move that only samurais can learn."

"I wanna be a samurai too when I grow up!" Kureha said enthusiastically, but stopped when she realised something. "But I'm a musician, not a samurai... Awww, it sucks."

"Musicians are awesome too, so no worries, little one," laughed Akira, patting her on the head. Kureha gave her a big, puppy-like smile, adoration clear on her face.

"You just got yourself a new fan, senpai," grinned Tera. "Not sure if you'll be able to handle her though. She's fiery like me, and she's gonna make you _lose your cool_ , geddit?" Her eyebrows waggled in the most aggravating fashion as she twirled the umbrella playfully.

Akira shot Tera a mock glare that said 'you-are-the-epitome-of-unbelievable-you-crazy-tiger', then stalked off, saying, "Come, the meeting's about to start. Tardiness is never a virtue."

Oriko fussed about Kirika as they settled down at the gazebo with the Strike Force members, making sure her sling was in the proper place. Ever since her arm got broken, Kirika had become incredibly jumpy, flinching at the smallest possible sounds and thinking that Wraiths were upon them.

"What if those bamboozles appear, Oriko? I can't fight them off with this useless lump!" she had cried out when they met her at the hospital. Oriko could only console her and tell her that all would be fine. After all, they've still got Mami and Kyoko, as well as the twins. They could easily fend them off if needed. Kirika didn't look convinced, but she had to make do with it.

"Do you think I should go over to the entrance to meet them?" asked Mami. "They've never been here before, and they could probably get lost."

Oriko agreed that she should, so off went Mami with her yellow umbrella to the main entrance, squinting her eyes for any sign of the Kazaminoans. The mist was making it hard to see anything clearly. There they were, standing next to their car, and was that... ice all around them? Mami blinked hard to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Now, the ice had disappeared and was replaced by a flurry of light snow instead. Maybe the mist was playing tricks on her.

"Hello there!" she called out, waving cheerily. "Kiyomizu-san, Oda-san! We're over here!"

Shika perked up at Mami's voice, and gave a reply, "Tomoe-san, hi!" Akira waved back from under her umbrella, and Tera grinned, lifting up a palm in greeting. Kureha laughed and ran to Mami, dragging Eruna along while chirping energetically, "Wheee, time to meet friends again! Let's go let's go let's go!" Nothing could bring down the young girl for long.

From above a tree, Homura Akemi watched the girls walk off for their meeting, and quietly tailed them, her footfalls making no sound at all even in the damp grass. Her spies had worked well for her; she was glad she managed to enrol them into her service. Ah, such pitiable creatures they were, to stoop down so low, like simple-minded minions. Well, all the better for her. All she had to do was to make sure they got what they want, and that, she could grant easily. She laughed to herself, feeling elated at this unbelievable turn of luck. She was the Demon, and the Demon would always get what she wanted.

The fourteen girls crammed into the elegant little gazebo, with the two factions facing each other as in the first meeting. Homura slunk behind a tree placed conveniently next to the structure, drinking in every single word.

"We meet again, Puella Magi of Kazamino," said Oriko, opening the meeting. "Before we get to the topic of today's discussion, is there anything that needs voicing out?"

"I have something to say," growled Kirika immediately, staring directly at Tera. The tiger girl stared back and curled her upper lip, daring her to continue. Shika saw the both of them tense up, like circling pumas, and she looked away, pretending not to notice. The last time she tired to intervene, the results weren't as expected.

Unabashed, Kirika said, "You, Tera Aido, I'm not done with you yet. Just you wait until this arm heals, then you and I will be fighting to the death."

"Nah then, Brownie, you sure ya wanna do that?" snarled Tera, licking her fangs purposefully. "Wasn't gettin' flipped twice in a row enough for ya? Or do you wanna see even more MMA and judo moves? I'm ready for you, so just come at me." Her cat eyes glinted perilously, and she looked serious about it. Rikka placed a hand on her friend's knee to get her attention, then silently shook her head at her, her melancholic eyes exuding weariness. Tera stalled a further remark and folded her arms, pursing her lips, apparently getting the message to shut up.

Kirika saw that her adversary was quelled, and puffed out her chest, smirking. "Backing down now, eh, _tiger_? Or should I call you _kitty_ instead? Haha!"

"You will not call me kitty, you insulting bag of foul wind!" said Tera irascibly, almost getting to her feet.

"Oh yeah, then why are you calling me Brownie, dear little Kitty?"

"Jesus Christ, you're so gonna die today, you frickin' piece of shit!"

"Look who's talkin', you're the one that's the little piece of shit!"

" _Stop right this instant_!" bellowed Akira, her fierce eye glaring at both Tera and Kirika. Everyone quailed at her sudden, ferocious outburst, including Oriko. "I shall not tolerate arguments that may lead to even more injuries. Shame on you, acting like children! Kure-san, show some respect, and don't go around looking for arguments! Isn't having one broken arm enough? And _you_!" She glared at Tera, who cringed inwards into herself. "If someone wants to pick a fight with you, what should you do? Challenge them? _God, no_! You show them that you're a civilized being and you won't use violence as a means to solve a disagreement. Do you understand that, Tera Aido?"

"Y-yes, senpai..." mumbled Tera, not daring to look into her senior's wrath-filled face. Rikka grasped the tiger's hand reassuringly, as Tera looked ready to cry.

 _Why am I still here for Tera? I should be distancing myself from her!_

As if scalded, Rikka released her hold on Tera's hand, and looked ahead, her lips quivering. Tera was surprised at Rikka's reaction, but said nothing about it. Maybe Rikka was just having a bad day too.

The samurai girl exhaled forcefully, sweeping her gaze around the subdued Puella Magi. A sudden flash of lightning in the horizon backlit Akira's frame, making her look like the Demon reincarnated. Everyone concluded there and then that it was not a good idea to provoke the descendant of Nobunaga Oda. "That is all," she said in an icy tone. "The meeting may continue. If you please, Mikuni-san."

Oriko, who had wanted to say something about Tera's bad behaviour the other day, saw that the young girl had probably gotten a terrible shock at being screamed at by Akira, and decided to let the matter drop. Besides, she was afraid Akira might get incensed by her remark and start shouting again. Kirika, who was next to her, was twiddling her fingers awkwardly, staring at the tiled floor. It seemed that the brunette too, got a shock of her life.

The leader of the Strike Force said in as nonchalant a way as possible, "Yes, about today's meeting, I shall bring up the topic of everyone moving into my house again, in hopes that you have changed your mind. But if you have not, then I can do nothing about it."

"Our resolution has not changed, and we shall be staying in our own city, Mikuni-san," said Shika calmly, on behalf of the Kazamino side. They had concurred that staying with Oriko would only cause more havoc. "However, if you need our help, we are just a phone call away."

Oriko nodded understandably. "If that is the case then. The only other point I shall make is that of the sighting of Homura Akemi in what seems to be her residence. The twins have reported to me that they have seen the Demon living in the warehouse downtown, where the burnt flats used to be."

"You mean the one where they found the full skeletons of the two police officers?" Mami shuddered, thinking back on the news. Before, they had all thought it was a freak accident, but now they knew that it was the work of a Witch.

"Yes, that very same warehouse. It's no wonder why Homura Akemi would live there, it would only be befitting of such a character as hers. I plan for us to invade her when she would least expect it, and take her down there and then with our combined powers."

Akira raised a hand, a question formulating in her brain. Oriko apprehensively gestured for the senior to voice her thoughts. Whatever Akira had to say, she always found loopholes in her plans and challenged them, making Oriko feel irked.

"You say that the twins saw a _sighting_ of Akemi, and not the real person in flesh and blood, right?" asked the white-haired girl. "What makes you think that she really is there, and it wasn't just an illusion? From what I've heard about this Demon, she is very good at manipulating the mind, isn't she? She may have caused the twins to see her there, when in fact, she is not. It could be her grand scheme to befuddle us, and lure us there as a trap to kill us all."

The Demon bobbed her head slowly, feeling compelled to be marvelled at this girl whom they called Akira Oda. She exuded superiority, and demanded unquestioned obedience. According to her Clara Doll's statement, it sounded like Akira was the third Puella Magi who had appeared on the night she tried to murder Tera Aido. She had seen Akira freezing the mist in the carpark, and was surer than ever that this modern-day samurai was the final Elemental. From what her spies had told her as well, she was not one to be toyed with, and her surpassing intellect in battle and out of it meant that she was a dangerous adversary. Already, Akira was seeing through her plot as if looking through transparent ice - Homura was annoyed, her plan may be foiled if this girl were to make Oriko Mikuni realise that rushing headlong into the warehouse was the stupidest idea on earth.

"If you plan on storming the warehouse without so much as a preliminary recon of the area, then you're mistaken. I refuse to follow this plan of yours until we get concrete proof that she is indeed there. Also, if she _were_ there, we would have to have spies monitor her movements so that we can predict, with as much accuracy as possible, when would be the best time to strike. I expected more from you, Mikuni-san, you didn't seem like the type of person who would rush things, but I guess I was wrong." Akira's lips were pressed in a grim line as she said this, and Shika couldn't help but agree silently with her friend's sharp observation. Having Akira as a fighting partner for all these years had taught her many things, and one of them was to never charge at the enemy blindly without having a strategy first. It had saved them in many skirmishes, for example, the Battle of the Nine Witches, and conserved their magic store greatly.

Oriko flushed red and gave a peevish reply, "It just didn't occur to me that the Demon may have been playing tricks on us. I trust the twins completely though; they have been vital in information gathering and it couldn't have been a coincidence that they saw the Demon there." She glanced at the twins for support, and they nodded vigorously. Eruna cast a jaundiced eye at the pair, and instinctively felt that the two were hiding something. They were up to no good. However, no one else seemed to notice, she she kept mum about it. After all, she wasn't a fellow Puella Magi, and who was she to judge them?

"How about one of us go there now to stake out the warehouse? It's half an hour's walk from here, and would only take ten minutes by car," suggested Mami.

"Good idea, Tomoe-san!" said Oriko, relieved that someone was on her side. "Who volunteers to carry out this mission? At least two people should go, in case of an attack."

Yuma, Nagisa and Kureha were put off the list at once as they were too young; Kirika was excluded because of her broken arm; Oriko excused herself based on the reason that she was no good at defending herself; Eruna wasn't a Puella Magi. So that left Mami and Kyoko, Tera and Rikka, Akira and Shika, or the twins themselves. Akira then said the the twins shouldn't be included as they needed fresh witnesses who were not previously biased by the sighting.

"Since you're so adamant about wanting proof yourself, Oda-san, you should be one of the recon pair," said Oriko smartly. "Only then would you believe, am I not right? You're also the only one who can drive."

"Fair enough," nodded Akira. "In that case, I shall go. Who's following me?"

Tera sulked in her seat, still stung by Akira's earlier telling-off, and did not bother to reply. Rikka's already pale complexion had turned even paler the moment the topic was brought up, so she was out of the equation. Mami was not too eager about the prospect of possibly bumping into the Demon and stayed uncharacteristically quiet. Kyoko was still very hurt from the loss of Sayaka, and didn't feel like helping out right now. Akira sighed.

"Is no one going to come along?" she asked exasperatedly.

"I'll come, Akira," responded Shika. She stood up swiftly, a treacherous gleam in her eyes. Although she might be seeing Homura again so soon after the last encounter, she was not afraid. In fact, if Homura were to appear and assail them, she would retaliate and kill her without question. She could not explain why she felt such an intense hatred for the Demon; somehow, she knew that Homura Akemi had something to do with the One Month, and she wanted to get to the bottom of it. Her face darkened.

Akira recoiled slightly at Shika's savage image. The placid girl did not usually display such hate-filled emotions. Nonetheless, she replied, "Okay, let's go together then, Shika dear. Mikuni-san, the directions, if you please?"

While Oriko was busy drawing out a mental map for the two older girls, Rikka hugged her arms and shuddered involuntarily. The talk about Homura reminded her of the night where the Demon had invaded her house and made her do her bidding. The order to slay Tera was still floating at the back of her mind, nagging at her constantly, almost driving her crazy. A hard lump formed in the pit of her stomach, and she felt like throwing up. She tried not to acknowledge that Tera was looking at her, the tiger's previous bravado now replaced by anxiety. To look at Tera now was like looking Death straight in the face. She couldn't make out Tera's features. All she saw was a maelstrom of black and orange where her face should be.

Why did she ever agree to do it? Once she had agreed to make someone happy, she could no longer turn back due to her wish. _Stupid, stupid me!_ she mentally berated herself, her fingernails digging deep into her flesh.

"Rikka...? Why are you hugging your arms like that?" Tera had dropped the honorific '-senpai' when she called her, and Rikka knew then that the guitarist was worried sick about her.

"I'm just feeling a bit chilly," lied the pretty singer, biting back a cry. She scolded herself over and over again, praying to the Heavens to ease her torture, but found no reprieve.

Very soon, Akira and Shika left, disappearing into the heavy mist. Homura hastily sneaked off towards the entrance, then flew as fast as she could for the old warehouse. They mustn't realise her schemes for them, and it was vital that she fooled the two Elementals into thinking she was indeed staying there. Grinning to herself, her awesome wings took her far and fast to her destination, as she readied herself to cast her ultimate illusion.

Oriko came back to the meeting, looking around the remaining Puella Magi. The tension in the air was gone after Akira's departure, and Oriko felt her confidence returning to her. However, they couldn't really carry the meeting with two important members absent, so Oriko took the opportunity to give Tera a lecture.

"Aido-san, don't you think that you've escaped my fury," said Oriko coldly, addressing the flame-headed girl. Tera snarled back, but wisely kept her mouth shut, as Akira had requested.

"Your behaviour that day was unacceptable. I hope that you will never go about trying to kill comrades ever again. I want to teach you a lesson, personally, but-"

Kureha stood up for Tera, saying defiantly, "It wasn't Tera-senpai's fault that Kure-senpai broke her arm! In fact, it was Kure-senpai who jumped at Tera-senpai, so there!" Eruna creased her brows at Kureha, warning her not to get involved in this, but the little girl was on fire. "If you say one more bad thing about Tera-senpai, I will show you what it means to be deafened by the sound of music. Oh, yes, I use music in my battles, and I leave my foes wailing on the floor, begging to be slaughtered. If you're up for getting your eardrums blasted, be my guest."

Oriko sputtered."A-are all you Kazaminoans that eager to scream and shout?"

Kureha lifted her pointy nose high and retorted, "No, I don't like to fight as much as you seem to hate losing, it's just that I can't stand bullies like you. And Tera-senpai is the same. She won't tolerate being belittled."

Kirika swiped out an arm, gesturing while roaring back, "Well, if only your dear Tera-senpai would keep her big mouth shut, then nothing would have happened! But no, she had to go around insultin' sky and earth, and that's what makes me mad!"

"You were the one that overreacted, else Tera-senpai wouldn't even start an argument! She's the sweetest tiger out there, and if you mess with her, you mess with me, Rikka-senpai and Eruna-chan as well."

"Kureha-chan, please, stop this,"whispered Eruna anxiously, tugging at the girl's shirt. "You're gonna make things worse!" But she might as well be talking to herself.

"Now then, why are we erupting into another argument as soon as Oda-san is gone?" said Mami sternly. "Mikuni-san, you're the leader. Do something about this before there is a mutiny." Next to her, Kyoko cracked her knuckles, simpering wolfishly at Oriko. "Yeah, _leader_ , do something before I decide to overthrow you and put Mami at the head of this so-called Strike Force. I'm sick of this, and I hate you for Sayaka's death."

Oriko's brows knitted together crossly, taking Kyoko's threat seriously. "Stop this instant, all of you. Aido-san, I hope you've learnt your lesson-"

"There aren't any lessons to be learnt here, Mikuni-senpai," spat Kureha. She looked like a right little terror, her blonde hair hanging over her tempestous, electric yellow eyes. "One more word about Tera-senpai, and I'm taking out the big boys."

"Wow, so now, you're the one looking for a fight, eh, little birdie?"

"No, I'm not, but you're forcing me to."

Tera gave a dry laugh as she pushed Kureha back onto the stone seat. "Hah! Okay, you win, Oriko Mikuni and Kirika Kure. I've learnt my lesson, happy now?"

"T-Tera-senpai?!"

"It's fine, Kureha-chan, as long as it gets that woman to shut the eff up."

"Watch your language, kitty," growled Kirika.

"Stop calling Tera-senpai 'kitty'!"

"Then tell her to stop calling me Brownie!"

" _Enough_! Enough, I say! I'm getting a high-blood pressure from listening to this petty argument!" shrieked Kyoko, pressing her hands to her ears. "If you don't stop right now, I'm leaving!"

No matter what, Puella Magi were not meant to coexist. The Strike Force and the Kazaminoans found an invisible wall building up between them - Harmony? What did that word mean anyway?

The wind-shield wipers on Akira's car squeaked as she drove along the abandoned road littered with polystyrene boxes, punctured tyres and broken furniture. Weeds sprang up between the trash, and a rat or two scurried away from the rumbling vehicle. The place looked like it hadn't been visited by humans for a long time. Shika stared fixedly ahead, with only the Demon on her mind right now. If it really turned out that Homura was staying here, then it would be all too easy to launch a surprise attack anytime and kill her.

"Shika darling, do you think I was a tad too harsh on Tera-san just now?" Akira asked hesistantly. She looked downcast as she had said that, and Shika snapped back to reality, replying haltingly, "Maybe you were... But it couldn't be helped. Not in a situation like that... If you hadn't done what you did, I doubt the meeting would continue."

"Right you are, dear," exhaled Akira. "I just wished I hadn't shouted at her like that... She must be hating me right now."

"Don't worry, Akira, we'll find a way to solve this problem," said Shika, somewhat distant. "For now, focus on the mission ahead. It won't do to go barging in feeling unsteady."

"...Of course. You're right." Akira knew something was up with Shika, but daren't ask her. The deer within her was sleeping, and the inner dragon had come out to play.

The warehouse loomed into view, situated on the top of a small hillock. Akira parked her car in a hidden spot, behind a clump of brush, so that Homura may not see it. They got off the car, ignoring their umbrellas in favour for stealth, and carefully picked their way uphill. The earth was muddy and slippery, and was filled with stones and small shards of rubbish. The mist restricted their vision, but at the same time, it kept them well hidden. A blessing in disguise.

The reached the warehouse and skulked over to a grimy window, cautiously peering in. What they saw made their breaths catch in their throats. Expecting to see an empty, sawdust-filled room, the sight of a large array of cryptic timepieces scattered on the floor in a swirling pattern threw them off their feet. From the ceiling hung a large, sickle-like pendulum, swinging back and forth languidly. It looked like it could cut through time itself, such was it's wickedness. Various pictures floated around the space; Incubators, Puella Magi, Witches and Wraiths... but the picture that caught their attention was that of a large creature curled up within a glass dome. It had no definite form, but was alive and moving about in spasmodic twitches.

A cold hand seized at Shika's heart as the whole world melted away from her. All she could see and think of now was that creature. It called out to her in a warped howl, the agony of a multitude of voices infiltrating her whole being. They jabbed and prodded her with mental assaults, and Shika felt stripped to the core - exposed, vulnerable.

 _Come with ussss... Join usssss, Draakonjord..._

Fear gripped her in its cruel talons as she grabbed Akira's hand, her eyes wide and stricken. Akira's quick thinking saw that Shika was being affected by the picture of the malformed creature, and made to pull her away, but the green-haired girl was rooted to the spot, her eyes blank.

A side door clicked open, and Akira immediately took the indisposed Shika around the waist and forcefully heaved them both into the nearby thick bushes. That seemed to shake the girl out of her trance, and the lustre returned to her forest green eyes. They could still look through the window though, and saw the Demon walk out of the room, her purple irises glinting with a light of their own. She has a suspicious look on her features, and headed for the window, scanning the area outside. The two girls held their breath and stayed as still as statues, their heartbeats thumping madly against their ribcage. The Demon's eyes landed straight on the bush they were hiding in, and Shika gulped as Homura stared directly at her. But after three blinks, Homura looked away and flipped her hair, turning her back on them and re-entering her room.

Akira and Shika melted into each other's arms, blowing out in relief. Without a moment to spare, they got out from the bush, wet and jittery, and made for the car in as discreet a fashion as they could.

It was true then, that Homura was staying here.

As the Demon watched the car driving for the Park at full speed, she purred complacently and stroked her Dark Orb. Now that they assumed she lived here, they would surely plan an ambush in hopes of killing her. She only had to wait for her spies to tell her the time and day, and the game would be set. She smirked at the gray skies, still not believing her luck.

 _"Let the slaughter begin... Haha... Hahahahahaha!"_

"See, what did I tell you?" crowed Oriko in triumph as Akira related their message to the Puella Magi. Shika was still too afflicted by the encounter to say anything. "Yes, we can definitely set up an ambush for the Demon then. Come now, when would be the best time for this?"

The twins, who had been quiet up until now, spoke up, each taking turns to talk. "As Oda-senpai put it, we can't just rush in without knowing her schedule."

"Someone has to spy on her and monitor her movements-"

"-and from that intel, we choose the best time to strike."

"Wisely said, Queen twins," Akira said, still a little shaky. "However, the spy mission would have to be given to one of you here, as we live too far away to be able to carry it out proficiently."

"We'll do it, seeing as we haven't been really useful in anything," said Estella at once. Luna nodded, adding on, "We'll squeeze out so much information about her, we'll make you proud."

Eruna narrowed her eyes at them, her instincts telling her again that these two were trying too hard to be useful. But again, she said nothing about it, her saturnine mien displaying utter boredom.

Oriko beamed, pleased. "That is good. I shall let you two collect the necessary intelligence, and when you're ready to present it, we will have another meeting to discuss it further."

"Finally, something more productive than arguments," mumbled Kyoko. "Hey, twins, if you ever need someone else to tag along, I'm all open. I can't wait to give Homura Akemi a bashing up for messin' with me..." She was obviously thinking of the judgement she would wreak on Homura for taking away her beloved Sayaka. Yuma and Nagisa, who were next to her, inched away, feeling scared by the red-head's determination. They hadn't said a single thing during the whole meeting for fear of uttering the wrong words and galvanising everyone into a Scream Fest.

Oriko got up from her seat and strutted about like a proud peacock. "Ah, this meeting is going along well. I am very pleased. Is there anything else to be raised before I dismiss everyone?"

The Puella Magi looked at one another, waiting for someone to say something, but no one did. Oriko clapped her hands once, announcing, "Grand. This meeting is ov-"

All of a sudden, the ash-blonde girl clutched at her heart and fell to the floor, the whites of her eyes filling up with green light. Kirika was at her side in an instant, exclaiming, "She's havin' a vision, guys! Stay back!"

Stunned over this new incident, the Kazaminoans kept away, allowing Kirika to handle it. Oriko moaned and wailed as her hands flailed at the air, and Kureha hid herself behind Eruna, scared out of her wits. Eventually, the green glow in her eyes dimmed down, and Oriko stopped moaning. Covered in cold sweat, the girl sat up and placed a palm on her forehead, giving a quavering whisper, "I just saw a terrible vision..."

"What is it, Oriko? Tell us," urged Kirika, her gold eyes wide with fear.

"I saw... the destruction of the world. There was a huge Witch, the size of a mountain, with terrible wings and scales, and..." Oriko choked, lifting a hand to her mouth. "I-I can't remember what happened next."

There was a loud gasp from the girls. "Never mind what you can't remember, but... you were joking, right, Mikuni-san?" laughed Mami nervously.

"I am not joking, Tomoe-san."

"Let's just hope that you saw something wrong then," said Tera quickly, her I'm-freaked-out mode switched on.

"Yes... For once, I agree with you Aido-san. Let's hope I was wrong," admitted Oriko, looking petrified. Whatever she saw, it had driven away all her pomp and splendour, leaving behind a scared husk.

As the members disbanded, the rain fell heavier than before, matching the sombre mood of the Puella Magi. A Mega Witch was upon them, and that was not a very enlightening discovery. Even chatty Kureha had quieted down, and the drive back to Kazamino was unpleasantly mute. Tera was stooped over in her seat, Rikka was gazing out the rain-streaked window, brooding, and Eruna looked as undecipherable as ever. As Akira drove onto the street of the Kazamino School of Music and Arts to drop off the musicians, Kureha asked timidly, "Oda-senpai, do you think the Witch will really destroy the world? I don't wanna die..."

Compassion filled Akira's single stormy eye as she pulled over the curb and looked behind at the demoralised girls. A hand rested on the wheel as she said softly, "We can never predict the future accurately, can we? So why worry about something that is yet to come, that we cannot change? Live your life fully every single day, and never let the negatives bear you down. So we're going to die. Fair enough; everyone dies one day, be it young or old. All we can do now is to hope for the best, but expect the worst. If a Witch like that does exist, then it is our duty as Puella Magi to kill it."

"Yeah..." Kureha sniffed and wiped away a tear. Her friends all enveloped her in a hug as Rikka said, "Don't worry, Kureha-chan. We're all here for you. We'll go through this together."

Shika watched all of this with gimlet eyes, and she noticed that Rikka was merely putting up a brave front. She was, in a way, as good an actor at stowing away her true emotions like her.

Akira reached over to pat the blonde-haired girl's head. "Yes, little Kureha-chan. You have all your big sisters here to take care of you. So, give me a smile, and enjoy yourself at your band practice. Don't let some silly old vision bother you. Do you understand?"

Kureha nodded, giving Akira a watery beam. "I will, senpai. Thanks."

"That's the spirit. Now go and have fun!" Akira gave them one of her rare smiles as they got off the car, running into the building to get out of the rain. They waved goodbye, then turned away to head to their band room.

The instant they were out of sight, Akira hung her head in dejection, murmuring, "Now I really do hope that Mikuni had seen something absurd... I'm scared stiff, Shika..."

"Yeah... me too." Shika gazed at the rain drops falling onto the wind-shield, forming rivulets of water streaking downwards. She closed her eyes and sighed frustratedly.

Sensing that Shika was detached from the conversation, Akira said gently, "Shika dear, what's bothering you? Was it the picture at Akemi's residence?"

Ever perceptive, Akira had seen through her friend's stony mask. Shika, however, shook her head, saying curtly, "I'm completely fine. I just need to be alone for a while..."

Akira felt like a brick dropped on her head. Whenever Shika pushed her away, she felt like she was losing the only true friend she had in the world. "...If you say so."

They drove back in absolute silence, with only the rain mocking at them with their cheerful patter.

As soon as they got back to Shika's house, the girl took her dog and locked themselves in the bedroom, leaving Akira feeling hurt and confused. She wandered around the small house, unsure of what she should do. Her hand went to the bedroom door, meaning to knock on it and tell Shika to come out, but she swerved away at the last second, her courage failing her.

Shika had been on an emotional roller coaster ever since the day she cried at the Central Park, telling her about Kyubey and her role as Messiah. She had cried to her, laughed with her, shied away from her, came to her, joked with her; she was perfectly fine one minute, and the next, filled with seething rage.

Akira sank onto the small, bug-eaten sofa facing the forest outside, and dropped her head in her palms. To have Shika as a friend was her pride and joy, but it also brought pain and misunderstanding. She only hoped that the girl would either come out of this phase by herself, by talking with Yuki, or by opening up to her.

"Shika darling... How I wish I knew what was going on in that mind of yours..."

After sitting in the sofa for a full half an hour, she got up and set about doing her summer assignment, resigning to fate that Shika did not want to see anyone right now. Her phone buzzed once, twice, showing Takahiro's caller ID, but she just rejected the call and put the phone on silent.

Akira, too, wanted to be left alone.

As Tera strummed her guitar with increasing unease, she noticed both Kureha and Eruna glancing at each other worriedly, their minds not on the instruments they were playing, but on their lead vocalist. Tera's fingers plucked at her guitar strings automatically as she glanced at her friend. The bluenette was staring into space, her lips moving in a hum along with the bridge of the song they were playing, _Close To You_. When they entered the second verse, her voice sent chills down their spines.

 _Why do stars,_  
 _Burn up in the sky?_  
 _Every time you walk by?_  
 _Just like me,_  
 _They long so much,_  
 _To kill you..._

"O-Onee-chan, those aren't the lyrics!" stammered Eruna, her grip on her cello loosening as she flipped the pages of her score to look for the lyrics. The instrument scraped against the wall as she let go of it, and Kureha had to catch it for her before it fell down. All music came to a screeching halt as Tera's final strum went out of tune, screeching harshly in the still air. Eruna jabbed her finger at a page, declaring anxiously, "There, look at this, onee-chan. There's no mention of killing or stars burning..."

Sure enough, their vocalist was singing the wrong things, unconsciously changing the lyrics. Rikka looked at the score in utter dismay, her fingers running across the lines as she read them. She was sure she had them memorised just a while ago. What had induced her to give voice to those horrible words?

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to!" said Rikka in a rush, her hands trembling as she readjusted the sheet music on the stand. She had never made such a trivial mistake in her whole career as a singer.

Thoughts of Homura and her words came into her mind for the hundredth time that day. She felt her fingers crackling with her deep blue energy, trying to summon up a dagger on its own will to be stabbed into the heart of Tera Aido. Turning her back to her worried bandmates, she clasped her hand to her chest, trying to stop it from jerking uncontrollably.

 _Am I losing my mind?_

She glanced at the wall clock ticking away. Time was robbing her of her life, second by second.

 _God, am I losing my mind? Please tell me I'm not..._

The small inset gem on her ring swirled up with black spots, and she turned it over so that she won't see it, refusing to accept her destiny. Tears stung her eyes, but she pushed back the oncoming flow, resisting the urge to cry.

 _Oh God, please help me... Please answer me. Please! Tell me I'm dreaming, tell me I'll wake up and find that this was a horrible nightmare. Tell me something, anything! Please!_

But God did not answer her, like usual, and Rikka felt the desolate emptiness of her mind pressing down like weighted darkness.

What was God anyway if He couldn't answer her prayers and pleas?

She turned back to face her bandmates, wearing a pleasant expression. Her pretty smile crinkled her depthless eyes.

 _Screw you, God._

"Sorry, guys, I just got lost in my thoughts for a while there," she smiled apologetically. "Come, let's try it again, shall we?"

Tera hefted her guitar onto her thigh, exchanging meaningful glances with the other two girls. She said carefully, "Rikka-senpai, do you wanna postpone this practice to another day? You don't look well enough to sing..."

"You look sick, like you're about to vomit."

"Yes, onee-chan, listen to them. You are not fit to sing today."

Rikka looked at the three girls in turn. Her fingers grew cold as the blood gathered at her head, making it spin. Woozily, she got up and stumbled across to them, her feet catching on the rug. Tera chucked her guitar to the side and caught Rikka neatly as she fell in a faint, soundless with shock. Hugging her close, Tera shook Rikka urgently, saying something in a garbled language. The singer's arms were dangling freely over Tera's broad shoulders, away from the sight of the three girls. Everything was covered in a red haze; she couldn't think properly.

 _This is it... Kill her now._

Her foggy mind registered the thought, and the dagger gleamed into existence between her fingers.

 _Yes... Kill her now. Just thrust in the dagger._

Her arms felt like they belonged to someone else. The weapon hand raised itself, readying for the deadly blow. Rikka slipped into half-consciousness, thinking of the Lord's punishment that awaited her in Heaven after she had carried out Homura's deed. But then again, God was never there for her when she needed Him, wasn't He? So why should she fear something that wasn't there?

 _Screw you, God. Screw you and your insincere existence._

The dagger flew downwards in a black arc, the tip piercing Tera's skin and drawing blood. But it went no further, as Tera herself was gripping at Rikka's arm firmly. The tiger gaped at her friend, not wanting to believe that Rikka had almost killed her. If she had not seen the blue glint of the dagger, she would have been dead by now. The blue-haired girl did not fight back though, and simply crumpled to the floor, out cold. Tera hastily thrust an arm under the singer's shoulders, breaking the fall.

"What just happened...?" breathed Kureha, kneeling next to the fallen Rikka. The colour in her ruddy cheeks was lost, chased away by the horror within her. Eruna's normally hooded eyes were wide with terror.

"Call for a teacher, Eruna, _now_!" ordered Tera, her husky voice cracking up. Whatever had happened to Rikka, it was not anything they could handle, and they needed help. Eruna raced down the corridor without a word, sprinting for the office.

"Goddammit, Rikka, please be okay!" cried Tera, hugging her friend close. She buried her face in Rikka's hair, suppressing her tears for the sake of Kureha, who was badly shocked and already crying. They waited and waited for the teacher to come, each painful second trickling by like a clogged stream. Kureha pressed herself against Tera and wept like a babe, all the events of the day proving to be too much for her to handle. Tera placed an arm around the little girl and tried to comfort her, but she herself was shaking so badly that no words came, her bile-filled throat unbearable and bitter.

"Unhh...Tera...chan?" Rikka's moan was barely audible, but Tera heard her as clearly as day. Her resolve to not cry was shattered at once.

"R-Rikka?! Oh, Rikka, you scared the shit outta me!" sobbed Tera, breaking out in a cry of relief. She clasped her friend's hand tight as tears squeezed out between her shut eyelids. "Please don't do that to me ever again!" Kureha threw herself onto Rikka, hugging her like she would never let go.

"I'm sorry... I just- I'm just so... _tired_." Rikka's beautiful eyes glazed over with a watery film, and it was then that Tera felt like screaming, remembering Eruna's words.

After the night where Homura had set the nine Witches loose on them, Rikka had not been the same. For three days running after the meeting with Oriko and her gang, Eruna had called Tera to report about her sister's odd behaviour - how she never seemed to be with her during their daily prayers, how her easy smile never reached her eyes, how she didn't touch her food at all. She cried herself to sleep, was restless all the time, and had snapped at her when Eruna suggested they call her boyfriend, Shin Kobayashi, over to try and cheer her up. Her kind and easy-going demeanour had simply vanished, leaving behind a strained, fake sort of happiness. This was the worst mood swing Eruna had ever witnessed in her sister, besides the time when their parents had died, and she was at her wit's end trying to help Rikka get better.

And now, after today, Tera finally understood what Eruna had meant. Her dear Rikka had disappeared, eaten away by a paranoid, wild-eyed girl.

"Don't you worry, Rikka. We're gonna help you. You won't go through this alone." Tera brushed Rikka's damp blue hair out of her face lightly, her voice shaking with emotion. She had to help Rikka, or she would have to relive the One Month... to see Rikka broken and deranged, to see Rikka dead... Tera slapped away the very idea of it, denying with all her might that Rikka had regressed to the old days, where depression had followed her like a shadow. "You'll be okay soon, right, Rikka? Please say yes..."

The fathomless blue eyes of Rikka betrayed none of her conflicted feelings. "...Yeah, I will. I'm glad I've met you, Tera-chan..." she whispered, reaching out a hand to pat Tera's head. Her smile was crooked as a tear ran across her lips. "And I'm sorry for doing this to you..."

 _I'm sorry for having to kill you._

The dagger appeared swift and keen in her hand, and before anyone could stop her, it was pushed hard into Tera's chest, up to the hilt. Kureha screamed, while Tera looked at the knife sticking out of her heart, her face contorted in disbelief.

The tiger fell backwards, and Rikka collapsed onto her side, smiling foolishly. "There, Homura Akemi... I've killed Tera-chan for you... Are you happy now? Are you happy with me...?" She gave a delirious hiccup of laughter and blacked out, the world coalescing into a spinning mess of lies and hate.


	27. Chapter 25 : Insanity

Rikka woke up to the sight of the infirmary fan spinning idly above her. Woozily, she turned her head to the left, where a light source was, and saw that it was the street lamp outside the school. Insects fluttered around it, banging into the plastic cover that shielded the bulb from them.

 _Is it night already...? Or is it just dark because of the rain?_

Her mind was a fuzzy haze as she tried to focus on her current state. Why was she in the sick bay? Had something happened?

She pressed onto the bed and tried to prop herself up, but regretted it immediately as the blood surged downwards from her head. Her vision burst into a kaleidoscope of stars as vertigo struck her like lightning. She fell back and held a hand to her forehead, swallowing a moan. Above her, the ceiling tilted and melted into a blur. Below her, the mattress was like a bucking beast, fat, soft and violent, as it thrashed away her senses. Nausea rose to her throat as the fan swayed and split into two, wavering and shaking their tips at her like an obscene belly-dancer.

Rikka shut her eyes, hoping for the vertigo to pass as her slender fingers impaled the beast below her, willing it to stop moving. It did nothing to chase away its rowdiness, however, and the dizzy girl was forced to roll over to her side so that she could retch all over the clean, tiled floors. She retched and retched, throwing up air, water, stomach acid and bile until she thought she would die from suffocation.

" _Rikka_?!" A panicked voice came from her right as the infirmary doors at the far end were shoved open with a bang. There were sounds of a scuffle, and through her gasps, she heard her piano instructor bark out a sharp order, "No, you're not allowed in, Aido-san! Sayuki-san is too dangerous!" to which the reply was, "She sounds like she's _dyin_ ' in there, sensei! Let me go in and help her, _please_!"

A vase shattered and she could make out liquid seeping across the floor. The silhouettes of Tera Aido and Mr. Toriyama were stamped against the strong, white backlight as the teacher struggled to hold back Tera, who was trying in vain to escape from his beefy arms. Abruptly, his student stopped kicking and biting as the sounds of Rikka's vomiting intensified, and fell limp into his arms. The cat-like girl was staring at her blue-haired friend as if she had seen a ghost. Her fierce roar was reduced to a scared mewl.

" _R-Rikka_...?"

Rikka heaved one final time, expelling the last of her bile. She shakily wiped away a dribble of vomit from her mouth and blinked away her tears, fighting for breath. Her dulled aquamarine eyes met Tera's, who were ablaze with a red fever.

Didn't she kill Tera minutes ago? Why was she still here...? Rikka felt her heart quicken.

 _Was it all just a delusion?_

Light spilled onto her as Mr Toriyama's wide frame moved away from the door, dragging Tera with him. The tiger started to thrash again, hissing and baring her fangs, but the piano teacher's hold on her was too strong. Rikka then noticed that her friend's right arm was wrapped in a bloody bandage. _What had happened to her?_ Yet, Tera did not seem to be bothered by it, and was using the hand to bash her teacher.

"Let go of me, sensei! _Let go_! I need to help Rikka! Let go already, dammit! _Dammit_!" Her wail echoed down the hallway, strangled and hoarse; she cried and cursed, punched and kicked, but nothing would make the senior pianist loosen his grip on her.

"She's dangerous, Aido-san! Listen to me! She tried to kill you and your friends!"

" _No_ , you're wrong! She didn't! She was just daydreamin', sensei! She's just tired!"

"Tired or not, she tried to _kill_ you, Aido-san! _Kill,_ not hurt!"

"Ugh, why don't you _get_ it?! She's just tired and she's going through _shit_ in her life, and she needs me now more than ever! Now _let me go_!"

"No!"

"Just for a second, sensei! Just a while, I promise! _Please_!"

Rikka sobbed, anguished, as she saw her friend trying desperately to come to her aid. She knew, deep down, that she could never destroy her beloved tiger. Who would get rid of such a valiant, loving friend just because some Demon told her to? Dizzily, she thanked her forsaken God that it was only in her imagination that Tera was stabbed to death.

She reached out to her friend with a weak arm, crying out softly, " _Tera... chan... I'm sorry..."_ Her fingers shook like an earthquake as she tried to hold onto Tera's vanishing form, but it slipped away from her like shadows running from the sun. " _I'm sorry... for trying to kill you..."_

Tera's flame-red head whipped around to Rikka's whisper, her sharp ears picking up her voice like a radar. Desperately, the tiger wriggled about, clawing at her teacher's arm and earning herself a pained yell. But Mr Toriyama, knowing Tera's wild ways, held her in a swift arm lock and pinioned her, facing the wall. The tiger shrieked and tried to muscle her way out, but the teacher's weight was too much for her to fight against.

"Mr Wakashima! Hurry, shut the door and help me calm Aido-san!" shouted Mr Toriyama at someone down the passage. Tera's cat-eyes narrowed as she saw her violin-judo teacher thundering towards them - another annoying obstacle. But sensing that Mr Toriyama was momentarily distracted, she gave a roar and twisted away, ducking under the surprised pianist's legs and shot towards the infirmary door.

"Rikka, I'm comin'! Hang o-"

Mr Wakashima ran straight at Tera, bowling her over and grabbing at her wrists to stop her from punching anyone. The tiger gave a surprised yowl, but couldn't recover fast enough to slip away. With a swift kick, the judo master sent the infirmary doors crashing back to their lock with a click, shutting out the light. The screams of the tiger became fainter and fainter, as if she were pulled forcefully away, until Rikka could hear nothing any more.

The singer's outstretched arm dropped like a rock, hanging over the bedside like a dead snake. Her fingertips touched the puddle of sick, but she did not withdraw them. Me Toriyama called her _dangerous_ , and he had prevented Tera from coming to her. They had taken her away from her, as if she were a monster.

 _Oh, Tera-chan, why did you fight them? Why did you get hurt for me...? I had tried to kill you, for God's sake! Why are you so..._ nice _?!_

Agonisingly, she raised her arm to eye level and stared at her hand – the hand which had plunged the dagger into Tera's heart, albeit only in her imagination.

All of a sudden, the memory of what had taken place in the practice room came back to her like a vehement river bursting its banks. It shot her like a bullet, and she gasped as if the pain were real.

 _She stumbled towards Tera and fell, but Tera had caught her before she hit the floor. Her black dagger came unbidden into her hand, and as she was about to strike the girl, Tera had grabbed her wrist and stopped the blade from entering her flesh. It pricked the tiger's skin, and a small island of blood collected around it._

 _"Rikka! What the hell?!" shouted Tera, pupils constricted into a slit. But she didn't seem to hear Tera and pushed against her grip, trying to drive the dagger in. Tera fought back, yelling for Eruna to call a teacher. Her sister ran off at once, horrified at her sudden violent act, as she was usually a calm, demure person. Kureha leapt onto her back and tried to haul her away, but she was filled with an insane energy. She swiped out with other hand, catching Kureha hard in the stomach and sending the little girl sailing into the drum set. There was a loud clamour of falling barrels and cymbals, and a moan rose from the mess._

 _Tera shouted in anguish, still grabbing onto her wrist. "Kureha-chan!" Her lead guitarist looked at her in total disbelief, saying, "Rikka, are you possessed? Snap outta it!"_

 _But she didn't have ears for anything that Tera had to say. All she was thinking about was how to kill her. She pushed hard, and the dagger tip went in deeper, extricating a yell from Tera._

 _"Rikka, wake up! Wake the hell up, damn you! This isn't you at all!" hissed Tera as her other hand went to the dagger and gripped the hilt, twisting it out of her hands. The weapon clattered to the floor and shattered as Tera flung it away. The tiger girl then wrestled Rikka to the ground, holding both her wrists and forcing her to look at her concerned face._

 _There were tears shining in Tera's eyes._

 _"Please, Rikka, you've been actin' weird lately. If I'd done anythin' wrong to make you mad enough to try to kill me, then I'm sorry, okay?" cried Tera. "Just tell me what's wrong, and I'll help you. You don't have to do this alone. I'm here for you, Eruna and Kureha-chan's here for you, as well as Shin-san. Just tell us what's wrong, Rikka, please!"_

 _But she did not understand what the tiger was telling her. She sent her knee thudding into Tera's abdomen without so much as a warning, and Tera's grip on her released at once. The girl crumpled to the floor, whining in pain. She rolled up and summoned an axe now, swinging it above her and bringing it down on Tera's head without mercy._

 _Tera saw the axe coming at her, and activated her cestus-like claws, using them to cover her head to protect it. The blade embedded itself into the flesh of the right arm, and a primal roar erupted from the tiger's throat. She tried to pull it out for the second strike, but it was too deep inside. She cursed, yanking on it repeatedly and causing blood to spray into her face. Tera convulsed while yelling and screaming in agony, the blade in her arm like red-hot iron, but did she care? No._

 _Through the pain and tears, Tera choked, "I know you're going through something hard right now, and I'm sorry I didn't see it earlier to help you. But killin' me won't solve your problems-"_

 _The feline eyes of Tera Aido widened, as if she had just realised something. "...Or would they?"_

 _She didn't care about what Tera was thinking. Maybe the tiger was rambling nonsense out of shock._

 _She gave a mighty tug on the axe handle, and it came out of the claw with a sickening squelch. Tera screamed again, the wound spilling out hot blood. But the orange-haired girl was not done speaking yet, gritting out the syllables through her teeth. "I have killed you countless times with these claws of mine... Killed you over and over again... You don't know about it though... or do you? And now, I guess it's time for your revenge, huh...?" Tera grimaced, trying a grin. "I really don't wanna leave the planes of this earth without making sure you're alright first... But..."_

 _The claws reverted to her normal hands as she slowly raised them in surrender. She smiled through her tears. "... if my death would free you from whatever is ailing you right now, I am more than willing to die for you..."_

 _She hesitated, axe already poised and ready to cleave. Something was forming itself in her blurry mind. Something that told her to not kill Tera Aido..._

 _That moment of hesitation costed her her consciousness. Two adult figures burst into the room as she whipped around to the intrusion. A hard object crashed into the side of her head, and she blacked out immediately_.

Rikka came back to reality, stunned and shaken. Tera, sweet, strong Tera, had guessed that her death would free her from her anguish, and volunteered to die for her. And she, being stuck in a delusion, was about to do just that had the teachers not come in to stop her. She clasped her hand to her chest, shutting her eyes tight. What had she become?

 _"_ Oh _God_... I'm a _monster..."_

"Yes, Rikka Sayuki, you are indeed a monster." A shadowy figure landed on the windowsill, black-and-white wings stretched on both sides like harbingers of doom. The window had opened itself without her noticing, allowing the Demon to enter the room. Rikka sucked in a sharp breath as Homura Akemi loomed in front of her like a cobra, sniggering.

Her sleek axe fell into her fingers instinctively; she did not trust the Demon for even one second.

"It seems like you haven't been able to carry out my wish. I am disappointed." She sat on the edge of the bed, twirling her hair casually. Then, she saw the weapon in Rikka's hand and scowled. "Surely, you don't think you can kill me with that toy, now do you? Besides, you're in no condition to move."

"I shall make myself move even if it kills me, if it means shutting you up for good," snarled the bluenette, getting up on her elbows. The shift in position called up a new surge of nausea, and she promptly doubled over and threw up. A stream of bright red blood splattered onto the floor from her gaping mouth; she couldn't breathe. Collapsing onto her back, the axe slipped from her grasp. It thudded to the floor, amidst the blood and bile, then disappeared in a weak shimmer.

"Oh my, you shouldn't push yourself, Sayuki-san," mocked Homura, pretending to be worried. She reached forward and rubbed away the blood on Rikka's face with the edge of her dress, _none too gently_. Rikka recoiled at her touch and wanted to move away, but the rubbing had caused her to be attacked by another wave of dizziness. She had no choice but to endure the mockery, coughing terribly.

Homura smeared her blood-stained dress on the bed sheets, licking her lips sadistically. She grabbed Rikka's hand and forced it over so that she could see the blue inset gem on her runic ring, ignoring the Puella Magi's pained yell. Glancing at it distastefully, she said, "Your Soul Gem is already three quarters tainted, and I see you have't purified it. It's causing you to be _sick_. I don't want you turning into a Witch before you have carried out my order, so here's my piece of advice."

She grabbed Rikka by the shoulder and roughly spun her round to face her, making the singer gag up more blood. "Really, save yourself the pain and just kill Tera Aido already. If not, I will personally see to it that your boyfriend - what's his name? – ah, yes, Shin Kobayashi, and your sister will not live to see beyond three sunsets."

" _Don't you dare touch them!_ " Rikka snarled hoarsely. Immediately, she coughed up more blood, and had to clap her hand over her mouth to stop the red liquid flying from everywhere. She hacked so hard, the bed was shaking.

"Please stop getting all worked up, Sayuki-san. It pains me to see you like this," jeered the Demon pitilessly. Her grip on Rikka's shoulder tightened to drive the next point home, causing the girl to yelp in pain. "I'll leave you now, but remember my threat - _kill Tera Aido fast or your loved ones will die_. It's them or her, Sayuki-san. Would you rather deny two people of their happiness, or only one? _Choose_."

With one awesome flap of her raven wings, Homura dived out through the window, cackling like a mad Witch. Rikka took her hand, all aquiver, from her mouth - it was stained with a copious amount of blood.

 _It's them or her, Sayuki-san._

Should she kill Tera to save Shin and Eruna? Tera was her best friend, Shin was her long-time lover and Eruna was her sister. _Who would one give priority to in such an insane situation?_ Her fingers bore into the mattress, creating bloody holes in it.

 _Choose._

She loved them all. Going through life without any of them would be equivalent to a living nightmare. They were her support when she had almost despaired after her parent's death; they taught her that self-blame was never healthy for the mind.

But now, in this situation, she had no one else to blame but herself for caving in to Homura's order, and for getting herself dragged even deeper into the grasp of the greedy, depression-loving pit. She spat out the blood in her mouth, her tastebuds exploding with the rusty, metallic tang. Her breath was rattling, like the keening wind battering at loose window shutters.

"... I- I can't... I can't choose... _I really cannot choose_...!"

It was all too much for her to bear. Slowly, she curled up into herself as the tears started to pour hot and fast down her cheeks. They left shiny streaks all across, mingling with the blood, like rain upon a dusted window. Each sob racked her whole being, and she cried like she had never cried before. Her bloody hands were pressed hard into her face as she fought to control the urge to shriek and tear at her own flesh. Leaning back, her hands shifted to her the sides of her head as she raked through her hair, her teeth pressing against each other until they were fit to crack. She cried with the force of someone drowning, someone dying, someone calling for Death.

Impassioned with craze, Rikka dug her nails into her scalp and screamed harshly, " _God, I hate you! I hate you for pretending to be with me! I hate you for cursing me to this! I hate you for everything! Kill me now! Just kill me already!_ _Kill me, please!_ "

Anyone seeing her now would agree : _to let the girl die was a much kinder choice_.

Tera hurried towards the practice room where her other bandmates were, getting more restless by the minute. The school was empty save them and the two teachers - it was the summer break after all. Thank goodness her instructors were there though. If Eruna hadn't managed to get them, she would most probably be cut into a hundred pieces by now. Although she had been ready to die, the idea of it still made her shudder. Besides, Shika and Akira would not be happy to know that she had been slaughtered by her friend even before their fight against Homura had started.

The axe wound on her arm was already closing up nicely, and it wasn't hurting her at all - her magic was working at its best to heal it. The two teachers didn't even notice the cut, as Tera had hid it behind her back when they knocked Rikka away. She quickly took a roll of bandage from her bag (she always kept one handy) and tied it up to stop the blood flow, but her actions did not escape the eyes of her sharp judo instructor.

"Are you hurt, Aido-san? I have to call for an ambula-"

"No, no, I'm totally fine, sensei!" blurted out the girl. From the corner, Kureha moaned again and sat up, and Eruna hurried over to help her. The blonde saw her teachers giving her worried looks, so she grinned and said ditzily, "I'm okay!"

The violin teacher stared at her a skeptically, but did not press the matter. Their priority was on Rikka now. He picked up the unconscious girl in his arms and motioned for Mr Toriyama to follow to the sick bay. Tera trotted along, uninvited, but the teachers let her accompany them.

However, because she had gone berserk after witnessing Rikka's 'seizure', her teachers had to drag her all the way to the office before she could calm down. They had told her that they will assess Rikka before allowing her to see her friend, and call the ambulance as well, if the situation was bad. They knew that the girl was not faring too well, and may need professional help.

Tera thought back on the conversation, feeling uneasy despite knowing that her two teachers were capable people.

"For now, you just be a good girl and stay here. We'll take care of Sayuki-san, don't worry," reassured Mr Wakashima. "She's our student, and it is our responsibility to look after her. Also, you've got a hurt arm. Try not to move too much, okay?"

"Okay..." mumbled Tera, obviously not trusting the two teachers to handle Rikka properly. Her friend was covered in blood and had thrown up like she was about to die. "...Why won't you let me see her, sensei?"

"...She had wanted to _kill_ you, Aido-san. She _cut_ your arm! It's best we keep you out of her sight for now, if we were to avoid any more conflict," said Mr Toriyama, trying to keep his patience with the tiger. "Once we assess her and find out the cause of her actions, and if we deem her to be... _safe_ , we will call you over."

"You better, sensei."

"We will, don't you worry, Aido-san." Mr Wakashima patted his top judo student's head comfortingly, then added, "And if you want to, you may return to the practice room where Chiaki-chan and Eruna-san are. They would be very worried about you."

The teachers left, glancing at their watches for the time. Tera followed suit, looking at the clock on the office wall. It was only four, but the sky outside made it seem like it was already nine - dark and foreboding. They had been practising their music for around five hours since the meeting with Oriko.

No wonder Rikka was tired... But then again, they were usually able to go at it for longer than five hours, sometimes practising for the whole day when they were in full swing.

Tera felt herself starting to freak out as she neared the room. When Rikka had attacked her, she was convinced that the singer had tried to kill her because she had guessed about the events that took place in the repetitive One Month. It would then make sense that Rikka would get mad and proceed to kill her in revenge... wouldn't it?

She stopped short a few paces from the practice room, looking back at the deserted corridor. Her stomach boiled up with a really nasty feeling - somehow, she _knew_ that Rikka wouldn't know about the One Month. She had never told the pretty girl that, and no one else had remembered time repeating itself anyway. As far as she could tell, she was the only one who had experienced the time warp.

Something, _or someone_ was causing Rikka to act like this, to become a completely different person.

Someone that was capable of manipulating the mind... Someone who could appear anywhere at any time, and possibly launch an ambush on her like she had done the other night...

A hand landed on her shoulder. Cold fear clutched at her wildly beating heart, like a predator hugging its prey in a death embrace; she stood stock still, not daring to move even a single muscle.

"Aido-san. I've been looking for you."


	28. Chapter 26 : Overload

Tera spun around rapidly, her right leg sweeping out to catch her assailant's knee. Unprepared for this sudden counter-attack, her 'attacker' found herself collapsing to the floor painfully as Tera's foot hit the joint. Without a second to spare, the tiger swung around and grabbed her around the neck in a stranglehold, bending her backwards to prevent retaliation. Locating the carotid arteries in quick succession, she pressed hard on them to cut off the blood supply to the brain. Harder and harder she pressed, intending to knock out her assailant.

"Aido, what the _hell_?!" rasped the person, trying to dislodge the strong arms slowly squeezing the consciousness out of her.

Tera blinked in surprise. She knew that voice.

" _A-Akira-senpai_...?" she squeaked, unsure. Under the flickering lamplight, she made out long white hair, not the black that Homura had. Tera let go of her hold at once, utterly horrified that she had mistaken Akira for the Demon. The tall girl fell forward, a hand at her chest, gasping for breath. Tera knelt in front of her senior, rambling in a panic, "Akira-senpai, oh my _frick_! Oh _Jesus_ , I-I didn't mean it! I freaked out, holy _hell_! I thought you were-"

" _Homura- Akemi_?" finished Akira in a slight choke, raising an eyebrow.

"Y-Yeah... Sorry, senpai," mumbled Tera, looking at the floor awkwardly.

Akira rubbed her sore throat and gave Tera a sideways glare, inhaling deeply before replying, "Huh, classic! Homura Akemi indeed. Never knew I - _ugh_ \- resembled that piece of flotsam."

Tera made Akira lie down, knowing very well that the brief stranglehold she had given would make any person feel woozy. "H-Have a lie down to let the blood recirculate, senpai," said the tiger hesitantly, gently messaging the carotid triangle on Akira's neck. "I'll help yo-"

Akira slapped her hand away, muttering stubbornly, "I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me, Aido. It takes more than a chokehold to render me useless." She did not try to sit up though, knowing very well that it would only make her feel worse. She breathed deeply, allowing herself a few seconds of respite before saying, somewhat awed, "I have to admit though, your judo skill is top notch. I couldn't even fight back."

Tera sat beside her morosely, looking at her with sad, kitten-eyes, not taking in the compliment. "I'm sorry, senpai... So very very sorry. I didn't mean it, really-"

"Save your breath, Aido," said Akira, though not unkindly. "...I know you didn't mean it. Anyone could have mistaken me for Akemi in this dim lighting." Slowly, she reached out a hand to pat Tera's head, and Tera was surprised at the sudden gesture of affection.

"Akira... senpai?"

Akira gave her a lopsided grin. "You're not such a pain after all. Anyway, Chiaki-san and Eruna-san had called me over about Rikka-san. I couldn't find them though, but I bumped into you instead. What happened-" Her storm grey eye wandered over to the blood-stained bandage on the younger girl's right arm. She got up quickly, ignoring the dizziness and saying worriedly, "Did you get caught in a fight, Tera? Are you badly hurt?"

Tera hid her hand behind her, not wanting her senior to see she was hurt. Also, she was stunned that Akira had called her by her first name. "Err... It's nothin', senpai. Just a scratch."

"A scratch?"

"Yeah."

Akira pushed herself up to a sitting position, feeling the last bits of dizziness going away. Being a Puella Magi had its pros - she could heal herself of any ailment rapidly, though at the expense of a bit of magic. She smoothed back her hair, saying, "You better not lie to me, Aido-san. And yes, I was talking about Rikka-san. What happened to her?"

At once, Tera felt the tears return to her eyes. "Rikka... is acting weirdly. She tried to... _kill_ me."

" _What_?" Akira gave Tera a shocked look. She obviously had not been told by the two younger girls that Rikka had gone berserk. "But aren't you two best friends? Why would she want to kill you?"

"I dunno. She seemed to be... possessed when she attacked me."

"And is that why your arm got hurt? She cut you?"

"Yeah..." Tera gave a sniff, then hastily wiped at her eyes to stop the single tear from from falling. "Senpai, I'm scared. I'm scared for Rikka and for myself. She's been actin' weird for a few days now, and even Eruna-chan says it's not something normal. She's never flown into a frenzy like this before. What should I do...?"

Akira pulled Tera into an embrace, stunning the tiger again. "C'mere, you. I want you to calm down, first of all." She stroked Tera's hair, and Tera wondered if Akira had been strangled silly just now. This was not the cold, sarcastic Akira Oda that she knew.

Nonetheless, Tera let herself be hugged and pressed her head against her senior's shoulder, feeling deeply comforted by the older girl's presence. Her fingers curled up tight, thinking back on Rikka's terrifying visage as she sought to cleave her in half.

 _The hatred. The vengeful expression. The blank eyes... Rikka had not recognised her at all, and all the singer had wanted to do then was to hack away at her until nothing was left but a pile of flesh and bones._

Tera wrapped her arms around Akira, and began to sob. What had happened to her best friend? What had happened to their friendship? "Why? I finally managed to save her, but now, she- _she's going to die again_! Why, senpai, _why_?" she cried, hugging Akira tight as if the act would lessen her pain.

Akira winced, but did not move away. She continued to stroke Tera's head, muttering soothing words. "We'll find a way to help her, you'll see. Don't you worry; I've got you, Tera. We'll help Rikka-san together."

"You don't understand, senpai! She's going to die if I don't do anything, like last time!"

"... _Last time_?" Akira stopped stroking Tera's head, her hand sliding down to stay at her young friend's shoulder. Her gut seized up with an uncanny feeling, and she thought back on the conversation she had with Shika before she left the house.

 _"Shika darling, I'm going out to Aido-san's school. Something's going on there, and they called me over. Do you want to come along?" said Akira, knocking on the door to the bedroom. Shika had yet to come out of the room ever since the meeting, and Akira was getting worried about her._

 _There was a brief silence, then Shika replied, "You should go without me. I'm not of much use to anyone right now."_

 _"... Are you still affected from the night when Homura attacked Aido-san? Shika dear, you know I'm always here for you to talk it out..."_

 _"I know... But what happened last time, eight months ago... It's too difficult and horrific to tell you while I'm... not feeling myself."_

 _Last time... Eight months ago_. What had happened to Shika...? As well as Tera?

"What happened last time..?" questioned Akira tentatively. She knew she was broaching a touchy topic. If even Shika had not wanted to tell her, what more Tera, whom she had just met a few days ago? "You can choose not to tell me if you're uneasy about it," Akira added, so as not to pressure the girl into revealing a secret for the sake of an elder.

Tera licked her tear-crusted lips, debating on whether she trusted Akira enough to tell her. So far, everything had seemed cool and distant between them, and they had been 'arguing' over the pettiest of things. Tera could never tell if the senior girl was being serious or sarcastic, and was afraid that she may have gone too far with her teasing. She thought back on the meeting earlier that day, where Akira had scolded her for her impulsiveness. The memory of it still stung, but what her senpai had said was true - she somehow always turned to violence to solve her problems.

 _Would Akira-senpai scold me once again for spewing nonsense?_

However, Akira was also someone who was highly intellectual and gave good advice, and in situations where logic and critical thinking was required, she was the go-to person. Tera made a quick decision - she would trust this samurai's descendant and tell her. After all, what was there to lose? The worst she could get from Akira was a blank stare and her trademark snort.

"You... won't snort sarcastically at what I'm about to tell you next, right?" Tera said, hiccupping.

"It depends..." Akira felt Tera's body stiffen up, and immediately said, "N-No, I was just kidding. I swear I won't snort sarcastically at what you're about to tell me."

"Really?"

"Yes, I swear on my good eye that I won't do so. I keep my word."

Tera slackened in her hold once more. She came out of the embrace and wiped at her face with her sleeve. "This may sound crazy, but..."

The tigerish girl gave a little sniffle, making direct eye contact with her senior. For the first time, Akira noticed the crazed light sneaking about her bright orange irises - the very same crazed light that she often saw in Shika's eyes. She held her breath, afraid to hear what Tera would say next.

"... I've been repeating the events of one month... for a _hundred_ times."

A stray insect flew into the sick bay through a gap in the window, left open by the Demon. It hovered over to where three people were, watching them through its compound eyes. Unfortunately, one of the two men grabbed at it, and it was crushed to a malformed lump and thrown to the floor carelessly, broken and smashed.

"These insects! Always coming out after the rain," grumbled Mr Toriyama, wiping his hand on his trouser pants. "Mr Wakashima, close the window for us, won't you?"

As the judo-violinist got up to shut the small crack in the window, Mr Toriyama turned his attention back to Rikka, who was lying very still on the bed.

"Sayuki-san, we will have to call for the ambulance, whether you like it or not. Your condition looks potentially fatal, and we can't have you dying here, not as long as I'm your teacher," he said firmly.

Rikka shook her head sluggishly. She didn't want to go to the hospital. This was nothing serious, just a side effect of the cursed Soul Gem. She'd gone through worse.

"I'm really fine, Toriyama-sensei... I just need some rest..." She gave another cough, sending droplets of viscous red liquid splattering to the floor.

"How is coughing up blood _fine?_ " exclaimed the teacher in exasperation. He picked up an already bloody cloth and dabbed at her face to remove the stains, extremely fretful. "I don't care, Sayuki-san, I'm calling for the hospital now. I should have called it from the start." He took out his cell phone and started to dial for the ambulance. Rikka tried to reach out to stop him, but the line already went through.

"Yes, hello?" Mr Toriyama said urgently into his phone. "There's an emergency here at the Kazamino School of Music and Arts. Yes, the one near the Central Park. She's been coughing up blood and having seizures as well as hallucinations. Please come as quickly as possible. Yes. Thank you."

Mr Wakashima came over as his colleague slipped the cell phone back into his pocket. He pressed his fingers to his forehead, saying concernedly, "We need to tell her guardians about this. Sayuki-san, who can we contact about this at this hour?"

Rikka looked away, whispering so softly that the two teachers had to lean in closer to hear what she was saying. "My aunt... But she probably is too busy to even care."

"Busy or not, she will have to come," said Mr Wakashima firmly. He knew about her aunt's avoidant behaviour towards her nieces. Madam Sayuki did not want anything to do with her two nieces after the death of her brother and sister-in-law; she had called them 'cursed' and 'dirty', and refused to take them in with her own family. According to her, they would 'bring more misfortune to the household', and only agreed in the end to give them monthly allowances to support themselves.

"Well, Sayuki-san, give us her number please. We would have to call her now."

"No..."

"Don't be stubborn now, Sayuki-san."

"... ..."

"Come now, I'm sure she'll understand your situation," pressed Mr Wakashima. "There's no harm in calling her. And if she refuses, we'll find a way to talk to the hospital staff about this."

Rikka tried to shift into a more comfortable position. Her head was still spinning from before, but that wasn't going to stop her from trying to charm her teachers out of the idea. Her naturally beautiful eyes flashed imploringly as she said in a half-whisper, "I'll give you her number if you allow Tera-chan to follow me... _Please_...?"

"I don't know about that..."

Mr Wakashima looked to Mr Toriyama, whose forehead creased up with a thousand fine lines. "You've tried to kill Aido-san. I don't think it would be safe for us to let her fo-"

"I didn't know what came over me, honest! Please let her follow me," pleaded Rikka, her voice cracking up with the effort of speaking. "Besides... We're going to a hospital. I can't hurt her there with so many people around... _can I_?"

Silence befell the trio gathered in the sick bay as the two teachers contemplated on the wiseness of allowing Tera to go along with Rikka. They turned their backs on her and began to converse in low tones, prompting Rikka to sneak a glimpse at her Soul Gem on her ring.

More than half of the pretty aquamarine gem was tainted with black blotches, and she now noticed red and blue patches amid the dark swirls. They popped and sparked like tiny pixels of evil energy. She inhaled shakily. _Why hadn't she cleansed it with a Grief Seed all this time? Had she already given up on trying to survive?_ Eruna had told her to go on a Witch hunt to get rid of the stain, but she hadn't bothered. In fact, she couldn't be bothered if she so much as died right now, right here.

 _May she become a Witch and wreak havoc on everyone who had ever taken advantage of her kind nature... Starting with Homura Akemi..._

"Sayuki-san." Mr Wakashima's voice snapped her out of her eerie reverie. She tilted her head to face her teacher, hoping against hope that he would let Tera accompany her. She must have Tera by her side. She must apologise and tell her the truth.

Tera did not deserve to die. She would rather sacrifice her own life to save her best friend, who had been so unselfish and caring, unlike her. There was also another important factor - her little Tiger was key to defeating Homura Akemi, yet she had tried to kill her. Just what had she been thinking all this time? She should be protecting her, not scheming behind her back.

 _Useless! I'm so useless! Why haven't I realised that earlier?!_

"I'm sorry," Rikka sobbed, a trembling hand going to her face as she covered her eyes. "I'm so sorry..."

Mr Wakashima was taken aback at the sudden apology. "Sayuki-san, I haven't even said anything, why are you crying? Sayuki-san?"

Nothing he said would comfort her. It was just like when they returned to the sick bay after leaving Tera at the office. They had discovered her covered in blood and crying out like a banshee, cursing God and everything in the world. Only after ten minutes did she calm down, but not through anything that they did - she had suddenly snapped out of it herself.

"Sayuki-san, what's hurting you? Answer me!" said Mr Toriyama, planting his palms on the bed firmly. She refused to lift her hand from her eyes to look at him, and continued to sob quietly, murmuring Tera's name repeatedly. When they were talking with her twenty minutes ago, she had claimed that she was only tired and needed rest.

Seeing this now, the piano teacher didn't think so.

"Mr Wakashima, call Aido-san..." he said slowly, his stern visage closing up in defeat.

"Huh? What?"

"Call her now. It's not something we can handle..."

"But..."

"For the sake of our student here, call her now," gritted Mr Toriyama. "We would have to trust Aido to help Sayuki-san. There is nothing more we can do for her..."

Akira ran her fingers through her long white hair, utterly flummoxed by Tera's account. _Repeating a month for a hundred times? Killing your best friend over and over again?_ It sounded like something one would see in a mystery thriller novel. "Wait. Stop there," she said, stretching out her other hand and lifting a finger. "How can this happen? Are you sure you're not playing a trick on me?"

"Nyaaaw, Akira-senpai, why don't you believe me?" whined Tera, pouting. "It really did happen, I swear! I'm not playin' with ya. Besides... How can I lie about Rikka and her turnin' into a Witch? I could never think of somethin' that awful!"

"But... God, Aido-san, I still can't believe it." Akira placed her palm on her forehead, trying to process the new information. How was it possible that something this big and obvious had happened, yet she had not remembered anything of the sort?

"Why is it only you who could experience the time re-warp?" questioned Akira apprehensively. "Are you really, _really_ , a hundred-percent sure that you did not make this up?"

"I did not make this shit up, and I have no idea why it is only me who remembers. May I be burnt in the fires of hell if I lied to you," replied Tera unblinkingly. Her voice was steady and flat, and there was no body language that suggested she was lying. Akira had never seen Tera look so serious, but then again, she had only known her for two days. Looking at the tiger girl seated cross-legged before her, Akira wondered, what other secrets did she keep locked within her steel heart?

"I will believe you then," relented Akira, getting up from the floor, all traces of dizziness now gone. Tera bounced up on her heels anxiously, ready to catch Akira should she fall over. But Akira was as fine as day, with her expression as unreadable as ever. The white-haired girl brooded for a moment about Shika's predicament.

 _Could it be...? Could both these friends of hers have experienced the same thing eight months ago?_

Akira tilted her head to one side, dwelling on the question. It seemed completely plausible, yet completely illogical at the same time. However, she would have to deal with that later. Four young girls were depending on her right now, and she couldn't afford to tarry about.

Spinning around to face Tera, she said in a business-like way, "You and I still have a lot to talk about, Aido-san, and Shika must know about it as well... But now, come, let's go find your friends. They must be very worried about you and Rikka-san. Lead the way."

Tera bobbed her head over-enthusiastically. "Okay, senpai." She stood up and led them further down the corridor, where the practice room was. Deep down inside, she felt extremely relieved that her senior had decided to take her seriously, where others had not. Akira Oda was the first person to not scoff or laugh at her for talking about her past, and she was thankful for that. With her great secret safe in the hands of a trusted senior, the weary world brightened slightly, even if only by a bit.

For all her aloofness, the cold, sharp-tongued Akira had a warm personality under those layers of ice.

"Ne, senpai?" said Tera hesitantly, stopping all of a sudden.

Akira halted, looking down at the orange-haired girl in mild surprise. "Yes? What is it?"

"T-Thanks... for listenin'." Tera shuffled her feet awkwardly on the floor, her hands behind her back. "I was afraid you'd just think I was mad, like everyone else."

The expression on Akira's face slowly lit up, and she gave Tera one of her rare smiles. "You really aren't such a pain after all. And while we're at it..." She took Tera into another hug, and said, "I'm sorry I shouted at you back at that park. I know what I said was hurtful, but I hope you'll forgive me."

The tiger grinned, her cheekiness returning to her as she hugged Akira back. "It's fine, senpai. What you said was true. I'm glad you shouted at me, cuz made me realise what a brash fool I've been. I promise I'll try to use my brains next time."

"Of course you will, _Tera-chan_ ," said Akira, using Tera's first name casually together with an honorifc. A hint of her old sarcasm returned to her voice as she hugged Tera tight. Thank goodness the young girl was okay about it.

"Mhmm..." Tera hid a smirk at the sound of her first name coming from Akira's lips. If she knew it was coming, she would have recorded it with her phone as solid proof to tease Akira about it later. "Now, would you mind unhandin' me, tho? Your boobs are crushin' my face, woman."

As if smacked, Akira pushed Tera straight into the wall, stammering in a blur and blushing fiercely, "Y-You crazy little tiger Aido _oh my god_ I'll _kick_ you out the window and _freeze_ your innards and feed them to the crows and cats and dogs and who knows _what_ else and then I'll _chop_ off your tail and _hang_ it on the lamp post-"

"Hahaha, frickin' hell, senpai, you're _priceless_!" laughed Tera merrily, rubbing at her smashed nose. Obviously, getting thrown into a wall in exchange for flustering Akira delighted her to no end. "And it _was_ true, your boobs _were_ crushing meh, ehe."

"S-Shut up, Aido," snapped Akira, her cheeks turning into the shade of Tera's hair. "Now l-lead us to your friends before I decide to take back what I said about you not being a p-pain."

"Okayyu, senpai," chortled Tera. "Just down this way-"

Her cell phone rang out abruptly, screaming out an electro-beat with the caller ID of her judo teacher branded on the screen. Akira saw the joviality melt away from Tera as she picked up the call immediately.

"Sensei?" she said urgently, cupping her hand over the phone. "How's Rikka? ... _What?_ You want me to come over to the sick bay _now?_ Okay..."

"What is it?" asked Akira as soon as Tera hung up, her cool demeanour returning to her swiftly. "Is it about Rikka-san?"

"Yeah. She's not doing too good... They called an ambulance, and it's comin' soon," said Tera, grinding her teeth together. "I'll have to go over to the sick bay. The practice room is just at the end o' this corridor, call Kureha-chan or Eruna-chan if you get lost, 'kay?"

"No problem. And you call me if you run into anything, Aido-san."

"Will do, Akira-senpai. I'll see ya later," she shouted back as she ran off in the opposite direction. Her shoe soles squealed on the tiled floors as she quickly disappeared from sight.

Far away, sirens were blaring, and Akira knew that the ambulance was arriving. She looked out the window; the sky was as dark as ever, its heavy, foreboding clouds taunting and snickering with electricity. Akira touched the glass panes with the tips of her fingers, and small ice flowers blossomed around them in the pattern of a tiger.

 _Tera Aido..._ Who would have known that she had gone through so much pain and anguish just for her best friend? With her happy-go-lucky personality and ever present smile, no one would have guessed that Tera had been suffering. Now, with Rikka in a bad state, the young girl was inadvertently reminded of her awful ordeal, but was still going strong for her friend's sake.

Akira drew a thin line across the ice tiger on the window as she sighed, cutting it in half. It roared mutely and melted away, leaving behind a misty puff. She still had trouble accepting the story, but she had no choice but to believe in it for now. Tonight, she will approach Shika along with Tera and ask her the very same question.

 _What had happened eight months ago?_

A white ambulance pulled up the drive, and paramedics rushed out with a stretcher. A stout man, presumably the teacher, came rushing out and was directing them about. Akira watched them from above with her stormy eye, feeling a steady sense of unease building up in her chest. Tera had not told her about the extent of Rikka's 'illness', but she could tell that it was bad enough if the ambulance had to be summoned.

Maybe the two younger girls could fill her in with more details.

She walked away from the window and headed for the practice room, the shouts of the people below fading away.

 _Tera, Rikka... I wish you both the best._

Three paramedics hurried into the sick bay, carrying the stretcher between them. Mr Toriyama was right behind them, panting like a worn out horse.

"There... The patient. She's been coughing up a lot of blood, please help her," he wheezed, pointing at Rikka, who was trying to sit up. The pretty girl's face was full of terror, and she shook her head repeatedly, her speech stuttering. "N-No, please d-don't take me there... N-N-Not there...!"

"It okay, miss, we're here to help you" said one of the paramedics kindly as he took her hand to check her pulse.

It was beating twice as fast as it normally should.

Rikka tried in vain to escape, but the paramedics had her surrounded. "N-No, don't t-take me there! A-Anywhere but there!" she said, terribly panicked.

The other two paramedics, one male and one female, gently loaded her onto the stretcher as soon as the first one was done with his preliminary check. "She's showing symptoms of shock and is entering a panic attack - pale face, quick breathing, cold extremities. Cover her with a blanket, raise her legs, don't let her go into shock at any rate. Work fast, you know the drill!" barked out the leader of the trio. The other two gave a quick reply and did as they were told, years of experience lending speed to their movements.

Tera slid across the floor in her haste, grabbing onto the doorpost of the sick bay to stop herself from falling over. Before she could even catch her breath, she watched in petrified fascination as the three paramedics rushed past her, carrying Rikka between them. The singer's face registered a fleeting moment of surprise as she saw Tera, but it quickly contorted back into one of unadulterated fear.

"Tera-chan, don't leave me alone there- Please!" she cried out as she was carried away. A harsh cough exploded from her chest, and blood splashed onto the floor, bright red. The paramedics gave a yell of surprise, but continued their forward charge.

Spurred into action by her friend's voice, Tera wheeled into the sick bay and almost crashed into the wide girth of Mr Toriyama. She didn't wait for a reprimand, nor did she apologise, but instead blurted out, "Sensei, permission to follow Rikka to the hospital! I'll practice twice as hard on the next lesson; I'll make sure to complete all my maths homework on time; I won't prank you anymore during classes-"

"Oho, so you're the naughty little bugger, eh?" hooted the teacher, clapping his big hands together.

" _That's not the point here, sensei!_ "

"No, it isn't. I'll settle that with you later. But yes, permission is granted. Now hurry along, kiddo," urged her teacher, giving her a small push towards the paramedics getting swallowed up by the shadows of the stairwell. "Take care of Sayuki-san. I trust in you to help her."

Tera gave Mr Toriyama a grateful smile, then bounded after the company like a sprinting cheetah. She swerved into the stairwell and loped after them, skipping down the steps by threes. "Mr Paramedic, wait up! I'm following her to the hospital!" she called out. The threesome looked up and saw her, and the leader replied between pants, "Okay, girl, come along then. Your friend would appreciate it."

Taking the last landing with a leap, Tera was soon by Rikka's side, running with the paramedics. She managed to get a hold on Rikka's stone-cold hand, and wrapped her fingers around it in a reassuring grip. The small group thundered across the school's hall, reaching the entrance in record time. Emerging under the dead-grey sky laced with streaks of lightning, the emergency squad neatly placed Rikka into the ambulance, with Tera jumping in after her.

"Hold on securely to the sides; this baby is about to speed like the devil himself. And if possible, comfort your friend there," said the paramedic already inside the vehicle, addressing Tera. He was expertly pulling some tubes and attaching them to various machines. Rikka took all this in with wide eyes, getting thoroughly freaked out. Taking out a small object, the paramedic put it around Rikka's arm and measured her blood pressure. It was shockingly low.

"Has she lost a lot of blood?" he enquired, glancing at her bloody clothes as the ambulance lurched forward, sirens blasting out at the thick rainy air. Tera barely saved herself from crashing to the floor by grabbing at the handlebars. Confused, she fumbled around for the words. "Huh? Err... yeah, she has! I think it's a lot, but I'm not su-"

"What's her blood type?"

"Eto... Type A! Yes, Type A!"

A needle appeared in his hand, connected to a bag of blood labelled 'A'. Rikka whimpered audibly at the sight of the pin-like thing, embedding her fingernails into the stretcher mat. Her breathing became so fast, the paramedic shot Tera a look and asked, "Is she needlephobic?"

"Yes, she is..." Rikka's pupils dilated as she fumbled around, apparently trying to search for Tera's hand so that she may hold onto it. She inched away towards the edge of the stretcher, mumbling, "I-I don't like i-i-injections... T-Tera-chan, help...!"

The paramedic was trained to deal with needlephobes, though. The key was to ignore their pleas and get on with it. "I have no choice. Hold onto her as I put this in, will you?" Tera obliged, and stepped over to take her friend's trembling hand. Rikka's fingers closed over hers like a Venus flytrap; so scared was she that she gripped so tightly, her knuckles turned white.

Strapping a belt around Rikka's arm, the paramedic slapped at the top of her hand to make the vein show itself. Dabbing an alcohol-drenched cotton wool at the injection point, he took the needle and made to jab it in, but Rikka's hand jerked away in a nervous spasm as she glared at him with crazed, black-rimmed irises.

" _Holy_ -! What's wrong with her?" shouted out the paramedic, jolting backwards. An electric wave passed down his whole body, and he felt himself being seized up, unable to move.

Tera rapidly shoved herself in front of him to block out Rikka's glare, yelling over the din of the sirens, "No, Rikka, don't you dare do it! He's tryin' to help you, for God's sake!" She glanced behind her to see if Rikka had listened to her, but the black was spreading deeper inwards from her irises, polluting the clear aquamarine. She snapped her head back to the front, knowing very well what would happen to her if she gazed at those eyes for long enough. The paramedic exhaled forcefully, released from the stun, and he rubbed at his chest in bewilderment.

"What happened back there?" he demanded, staring at Tera who was whisper-shouting something at Rikka, albeit still back-facing her friend. She recovered quickly and gave him a brilliant smile, saying sweetly, "Hmm? What are you talkin' about, Mr Paramedic? Nothin' happened, nope. Maybe you were dreamin'."

"I distinctly felt my muscles hardening-"

"Naaaw, man, I insist-" said Tera lightly, "-that you were just dreamin'. Now can you get back to helpin' my friend, please and thank ye?" Rikka hissed something, but Tera pinched her hand, warning her to stay quiet. The paramedic looked at them incredulously, but allowed the matter to slip since his duty was to save lives, not argue with them.

This time, Rikka allowed him to inject her, averting her eyes from the sight while grabbing onto Tera's hand tightly. She whined as the needle went in, her jaws clamped shut tight enough to crack a tough nut.

"Relax, miss. If you tense up your muscles like that, I won't be able to locate your vein properly. See, this one failed. I'll have to do it again," said the paramedic, withdrawing the needle and squinting around for another blood vessel.

" _No_! Not another time!" cried Rikka, looking directly at the paramedic. Her irises were half-black now, seeping into the white sclera. The paramedic took one look at her and blanched, falling onto the floor of the vehicle in shock. He pointed a shaking finger at her, saying, "Y-Y-Your eyes... What's _wrong_ with them?" Once more, he felt himself freezing up, a ripple of voltage running down his back.

Tera swung her hand atop Rikka's eyes to cover them, laughing nervously. "She has this condition where her eyes turn black when she's scared, ya know? Nothin' serious, carry on, if you would." Rikka protested, trying to uncover her eyes, but Tera pressed her hand on them softly but firmly.

"But-"

"It's nothin', really. You must be havin' a bad day, mister," said Tera, forcing a grin. "How d'ya feel now?"

He grumbled and massaged his limbs, convincing himself that he was alright and no longer numb. He had never seen such a thing as blackening sclera in all his years as a paramedic, so this had taken him completely by surprise.

"No more games, girls, this is a serious situation," he said tartly, readying the needle. "Hold your friend down so that she doesn't do anything weird, okay?"

"Aye aye, sir." Tera made Rikka face the other direction, so that the paramedic may not see her eyes. "Just breathe normally and think of your favourite song," said Tera soothingly when she saw Rikka beginning to hyperventilate. "It'll be over soon, Rikka. Calm down."

After the blood transfusion was under way, Rikka fell into a disoriented stupor, her arm resting on her eyes as she moaned. The paramedic wiped at his brow and sat back, indicating for Tera to do the same. "Not long more, we're about to reach the hospital," he said, craning his neck to look outside. "Once there, you will only be able to accompany her as far as the doors to the ER. Wait outside and call her parents. Her condition seemed like hysteria, mild shock, panic attack and internal bleeding all rolled into one. Do you know what triggered this?"

Tera shook her head, saying haltingly, "I... have no idea what happened... It was as if she suddenly went crazy, causin' her to become sick. She's usually quite healthy, cuz she tries to avoid goin' to the hospital at any cost. She's phobic towards everythin' related to the field of medicine, ya see." She watched Rikka's hand twitch, the hand with the needle in it. Why the singer was afraid of hospitals and needles, Tera knew, but she didn't want to think about it.

"So that's why she was freaking out constantly," mulled the paramedic.

"Uh huh." Tera nodded, her gaze still fixated on the twitching hand. "And hey... what if she ain't got no more... parents?"

The paramedic knitted his eyebrows together, looking at Tera in concern. "You mean she's an orphan?"

"Yeah..."

"Any close relatives, adoptive parents, guardians?"

"She has guardians, but..."

"They live far away?"

"No, more like they don't want to involve themselves with her."

"Whether they like it or not, they are supposed to take care of her when things like this happen. Have they been notified?"

"I think so..."

"Do you have their number, by any chance?"

At this, Tera wrinkled her nose at him. "Nuh, man, why would I have their number?"

He rubbed his stubble with his coarse fingers, expelling a short breath, "You have a very unique way of talking and addressing your elders, don't you?"

"Can't help it. I wasn't born and raised here, so my way of speech is fudged up," shrugged Tera. "But more importantly, aren't you gonna do anythin' else for my friend? Is jabbin' in a bag o' blood enough?"

"That's all I can do now, unfortunately," he said, getting up to check on Rikka again. He half-closed his eyelids as he hovered over his patient, wary that she would glare at him with those black-rimmed eyes. Rikka, however, was in no condition to do anything but moan, her fingers still twitching periodically. He said something to her pacifyingly, and she seemed to be listening, though she looked about to pass out. Tera tapped her feet discordantly in no particular rhythm, feeling her anxiety build up to a crescendo from not being able to do anything useful.

The ambulance swerved into the unloading bay and screeched to a burning halt. The doors were flung open and the paramedic team expertly loaded Rikka onto a stretcher bed. Rikka's arm flew away from her eyes in alarm, and to Tera's horror, they were fully black. Her friend had not managed to keep her dangerous ability in check in her moment of panic.

Tera hopped out neatly and grabbed onto Rikka's non-injected hand, saying sharply while not looking at her friend's direction, "Close your eyes, Rikka. You can't go around paralysin' the staff; they're here to help you. Try to get that stun power outta your eyes, or they'll cut ya up and experiment on ya. I'm serious." Rikka's lips trembled, but she did not disobey, shutting her eyelids as she was pushed along to the ER. Tera ran alongside the paramedics, holding onto Rikka's hand all the way.

"Here's where we drop you off, girl," said the paramedic who had treated Rikka, jerking his chin towards some seats by the side of a set of doors, an LED sign flashing 'ER' above it. "Try getting her guardians over if you can. Leave the rest to us!"

As Tera let go of Rikka's hand, he and his colleagues shot off like hounds on the hunt. Tera barely had time to call out a final word to Rikka before they were lost to sight. "Don't worry, Rikka! They'll take good care of you! I love you!" she shouted after them, standing on tiptoe and waving her arm. The glass doors to the ER slid shut soundlessly, and Tera was left alone, in the barren waiting zone.

"Dammit."

Her knees gave way and buckled, and she fell to the cold floor, her legs bent below her. Her body was finally reacting to the stress, and she did not try to fight it. Slowly, both her hands went to her face and she covered it, pressing her elbows on her thighs. No tears came, only a sense of overwhelming fear and injustice that squeezed all the vigour out from her.

"Goddammit... What did I ever do to deserve this shit?"

Kureha was bawling her eyes out on Eruna's chest as the elder girl sought to comfort her. Both girls were huddled against the grand piano's side, seeking solace in being close to Rikka's favourite instrument. Akira was seated on the piano stool beside them, her arms folded and mouth twitched to one side in troubled discomfort. From what the two girls had told her, Rikka had not been fine at all. It would even be an understatement to say that she had been but a fiend.

"It seems this was totally unpredictable," said Akira, shaking her white head. "There's nothing we can do but wait for news from Aido-san."

Kureha looked up temporarily, her face covered in tears and mucus. Eruna tried not to make a grossed-out expression as she saw the front of her shirt sodden and drenched with unpleasant stuff. "Oda-senpai," sniffed Kureha, looking at the senior with teary, yellow eyes, "Can you send us to the hospital...? Pretty please?"

"I'm not sure if I should..." she trailed off when Kureha let loose a wail and buried her face in Eruna's chest once more, hiccuping most fearsomely and causing Akira to gulp anxiously for her. Eruna sighed and put a hand on the little girl's soft head, saying stiffly, "Actually, I would like to ask of you the same question. Can you send us to the hospital? I'm... very worried about my sister..." Her sky-blue eyes were moist and shiny. Not even strong, silent Eruna could keep her emotions from surfacing when her beloved sister was involved.

Akira turned around and angled her head backwards, the bangs dropping away from her ruined left eye as she inhaled. She did not want to disappoint the two girls by refusing them, but she knew that it would be hours before Rikka would be discharged, and she didn't want to exhaust them there pointlessly.

"Oda-senpai." Eruna's voice rang out clearly through Kureha's sobs, interrupting Akira's flow of thoughts. "I know what you're thinking. I personally wouldn't mind waiting there - she's my sister after all."

"Y-Yeah! Me too! I don't mind," piped up Kureha, removing her wet face from Eruna's shirt. "I'm practically another sister of hers! I have to go!"

Pulling her bangs back over her eye, Akira faced the duo with an ardous look on her stately features. It pained her to say it, but said it she did. "It's already late, and I don't want you two to be tired out. After the shock of today, you need rest. It would be pointless to exhaust yourself - who should take care of Rikka when she's back?" She got off the stool and went down on her knees to face the girls, placing a reassuring hand on both their shoulders. Her tone was warm and kind as she said, "I'll take you guys out for some grocery shopping, then we can go back to Shika's to prepare a nice dinner to fill those bellies of yours, what do you say?"

Eruna pursed her lips, not wanting to agree with Akira's suggestion, but she knew that the senior was correct. They needed to recover from the shock, and to get things off of their minds even if for a while. She lowered her eyes, staring at Kureha's hair pin as if she held a grudge with it.

"...Okay," she mumbled.

"Ehhhh?" Kureha blinked her eyes rapidly, not believing what she heard. "But Eruna-chan, Rikka-senpai needs us!"

"Yes, she does," replied Eruna levely, "And that is exactly why we can't go. Who will help her if we're all drained? Even Tera is in no condition to help herself. Of the three of us, she would have been affected by my sister's outburst the most..."

A flash of lightning from outside cast a flicker of shadows running across the practice room. The three girls were very still, thinking about Tera and how she got the full brunt of Rikka's attack. Thunder rumbled deep and resounding, as if showing the heaven's approving disagreement with Rikka's behaviour.

Eruna clenched her hands. She still could not bring herself to believe that her sweet sister had transformed into a monster in just a split second.

Clearing her throat, Akira broke the tension and said, "Eruna-san is right. Aido-san would not be able to look after Rikka-san when she's discharged - she herself would need mental support in getting through this difficult period. It would be up to us to care for the both of them, and that's why we have to stay well rested in order to be ready for anything. Alright, Chiaki-san?"

Kureha pouted. "Alright, senpai..."

"That's a good girl," beamed Akira, patting Kureha's head once. "Let us go then. It looks like it's about to rain heavily, and we don't want to get caught in the rain, do we?"

Bumping along the backseat was a reasonable array of groceries that they had gotten at the nearby shops, meaning to prepare a wonderful meal to distract themselves from the events of the day. The radio in Akira's car was playing the song 'Sayonara no Koto' by Rena Uehara, and Eruna grunted to herself. This was one of her sister's favourite songs, and listening to the lyrics now only served to remind her of the possibility of losing her sister forever. She leaned her head against the window pane of the passenger seat and stared blankly ahead at the headlights of the many cars zooming past them.

Many times had she thought about this, of death scenes revolving around her sister. She had a terrible gut feeling that Rikka would not be able to live as long as she should, like most Puella Magi. Was her sister's time up already? Is this some sort of sign from God to tell her to prepare herself for her sister's death?

She frowned, telling herself not to get all paranoid over it. Every small thing that happened to her sister, she would tend to freak out and think of disastrous outcomes. Like right now. Images of Rikka dying on the hospital bed invaded her relentlessly.

"Eruna-san, are you okay?" came Akira's voice. Eruna bolted straight up and glanced sideways at the driver. Akira had her eye glued to the steadily darkening street, but she could sense that her mind was not on the road as well.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just thinking about my sister."

"You love her a lot, don't you?"

"Yes. She's my only family after all."

"Of course... Having a sister must be nice." Akira sounded longing, and Eruna felt curious.

"Don't you have any siblings, senpai?"

"I wish I had. The closest person I have to a sister is Shika, but even so, I can't be with her and look after her all the time... To be honest, I worry a lot about her."

"I'm sure Kiyomizu-senpai can take care of herself pretty well. After all, she's an Elemental. Aren't you Elementals supposed to be very strong?"

"Only in battle we are. But when it comes to mental health and all that, I'm not so sure."

Eruna narrowed her eyes. "Are you implying that she has a problem?"

"I'd hate to admit it, but yes, she does."

Eruna flinched at Akira's bluntness. "What sort of problem?" she asked tentatively.

"I am not sure," admitted the older girl. "But whatever problem it is, Aido-san and your sister are affected by it as well."

"And how did you come to that conclusion?"

The traffic lights flashed red, and Akira stopped the car and pulled the handbrake upwards almost violently. Eruna recoiled at the show of emotion.

"Through pure speculation, that's how," said Akira, staring straight ahead. "Haven't you noticed how all three of them look like they're hiding a big secret?"

"Now that you mention it... Yeah."

"Exactly. And not being able to do anything about it is driving me crazy."

Kureha, who had been listening into the conversation, poked her head between her two seniors and said innocently, "Maybe we can ask them what it is?"

Turning around halfway, Akira gave the little girl a crooked smile, remarking, "I've tried plenty of times on Shika, and I didn't get even a single thing from her. But Aido-san though..." Akira trailed off, thinking back on Tera's confession about her past. Was this something she could tell the others about?

She had no time to ponder over it, as the traffic lights had turned to green again. She put the car into gear and pressed on the accelerator. But Eruna wasn't about to leave the statement hanging.

"What about Tera, senpai? You were saying something about her?" questioned Eruna, brushing away her fringe from her eyes.

"About that... I'm not sure if I should tell you anything," replied Akira. "You would have to ask her yourself."

"Fair enough."

The rest of the drive was relatively quiet, with only the music to accompany them. When they reached Shika's house, it was empty; she had left a note on the table saying that she had went out for a walk with Yuki.

Akira slapped a hand to her forehead after reading it. "Gone out for a walk in _this_ weather? Is she _mad_?"

"Maybe she is," Eruna confirmed, glancing at the note, then at the sky outside. "Nothing you can do about it."

Running out onto the street, Akira swept her gaze left and right, trying to see if Shika was anywhere nearby. However, the only companion that the lonely road had was the sighing wind and stray leaves - no one else was present. A drop of water landed on her nose, and she looked up reflexively, palms turning upwards to feel for more raindrops. A few more plopped onto her arms, and she dropped her head in resignation.

" _Great_. Just great, Shika dear. Now you're gonna get caught in the rain and get sick. Freezing hellstorms..."

It had been almost three hours. Tera was still pacing the ER's waiting area, chewing on her thumbnail to at least occupy her mind with something numbing. Rikka's aunt, Madam Sayuki, perched pertly on the plastic chairs, her hands placed severely over her lap as she followed Tera's movements with a jaundiced eye.

"For the umpteenth time, will you sit down, young lady?" chirped the aunt impatiently, her voice bordering on shrill. "I have enough on my mind right now and I don't like you pacing in front of me like a restless tiger. You're making me dizzy."

"Ah, give your mug a rest, woman!" exclaimed Tera, throwing her hands into the air in frustration. "Ever since you arrived, you've been naggin' at me like some ol' frogwife. Don't your jaws get tired from yammerin' non-stop? It's gonna fall off if you keep that up."

Madam Sayuki swelled up like a red balloon. "Oh ho! Don't you talk back to me, you uncultured little rapscallion! Sit thee down and behave like a good child!"

Tera growled her dissatisfaction at Rikka's pushy aunt, then threw herself onto the opposite chairs, folding her arms and pouting. " _Sit thee down and behave like a good child, ngeh!_ " she mumbled to herself defiantly.

"What was that, you little scallywag?"

"Nothin' you wanna hear, you ol' crone."

"What did you call me?" yelled Madam Sayuki, almost getting to her feet in rage.

"A crone," repeated Tera coolly, checking out her nails dispassionately.

"You need a lesson in manners, young lady!"

"And you need to shut the fudge up, woman," snarled Tera.

Any further argument was terminated as the LED sign's light went out, indicating that whatever procedures going on inside had just finished. Tera perked up at once and rushed over to the door, where she saw a doctor approaching. He looked extremely tired.

Madam Sayuki stood up and strode over to the doctor, saying snippily, "Well, _about time_! Do you have any idea how long I've waited out here, stuck with this _brat_ that my useless niece calls a friend? Be snappy, Doctor, I haven't got all day."

The doctor looked taken aback by the aunt's tone. Tera pulled at his sleeve sharply, jerking him back to the task at hand. "Don't mind her, she's always like that."

"What did you say?" shrieked Madam Sayuki.

"Ah, just shuddup."

Coughing importantly, the doctor held up a clipboard of notes as he tried to ignore the quarrelling duo. "Ahem, yes. Rikka Sayuki's guardian, Himeko Sayuki, is it? I'll bring you over to the ward where we're having her, and I'll tell you what we've... discovered about her." The way he had said it would make one think that something was seriously wrong with Rikka.

"What about me, Doctor?" enquired Tera, skipping around to get attention. "Can I follow? Please say yes."

"Yes, you can follow, young lady. Your friend would be glad to see you," he said, leading them along the corridors to the room where Rikka was. "Do you happen to be Tera Aido? Sayuki-san couldn't stop asking for you during the first few minutes."

"Yup, I'm Tera Aido. How is she doing, Doctor? Is she okay?" she asked urgently, half running, half walking to keep up with the doctor's large stride.

His face changed as he riffled through his notes. "We've done all the tests we could think of on her, but... she shows no signs nor symptoms of any disease. All the blood that was coughed up seemed like a bad joke. There was none in her lungs; her airways were clear; no wounds in sight, though her blood level was shockingly low. So, where had all the blood come from? All her other organs are in good condition. The only problem we found in her was her persistent fear of needles and anything medicine related, which resulted in panic attacks of extreme intensity. Besides that and a little dehydration, there was essentially nothing wrong with her... It is indeed a medical mystery. There's one thing I would like to ask though..."

He stopped, and looked pointedly at Madam Sayuki. "Madam, do you know of this condition where your niece's eyes would turn black for some unstated reason?"

Tera froze up beside him.

"I have never heard of such rubbish," scoffed Rikka's hand, flapping a hand at him.

"Then why did her eyes turn black throughout the checkup?" demanded the doctor, holding up a picture of Rikka scared out of her wits on the stretcher bed - both eyes were fully black, including the sclera.

The aunt peered at the picture incredulously. "Are you sure this is not due to some camera effect on your phone, my good doctor?"

"I assure you, this is no trick. Aido-san, do you know anything about this?" said the doctor to Tera now, showing her the picture.

Tera gulped. "I... errr... Well, she has this eye infection thingy that comes when she's freaked like bells, and it causes her eyes to turn black because of err... bacterial action on the enzymes in the tears. Yeah."

"Really now? Sounds intriguing." The doctor held up the picture and scrutinised it for a second, then continued leading them towards the operation room, silent in his own thoughts. Tera bit at her lip, hoping that the doctor would buy her story, ridiculous as it sounded.

She could not allow anyone to find out Rikka's power. It would lead to a whole new string of problems for them, as if they didn't have enough already.

When Rikka saw Tera appear at the doorway, she stumbled over and fell into her friend's arms immediately, breaking out into muffled sobs. She was wearing the hospital gown, and both her hands were punctured with needles meant for the intravenous drips. Looking at them sent shivers down Tera's back. But she had noticed that Rikka's eyes had reverted to their normal hue of aquamarine, and for that, she breathed a sigh of relief. She hugged Rikka back and whispered soothingly in her ear, "It's alright, Rikka. It's over now. You're alright. I'm here with you."

The doctors and nurses smiled at the two friends together. No matter how bad a situation may seem, a good friend would always brighten it up. Madam Sayuki tapped her feet impatiently on the cold floor. "Well, are you all going to sit there like nesting ducks and not tell me what happened?"

"Our apologies!" said a doctor, getting up from his seat. As the grownups got together to discuss about the results, Tera and Rikka sat on the bed side by side, holding hands. Rikka leaned her head on Tera's shoulder, wiping away her tears.

"I was so scared, Tera-chan. I couldn't keep my eyes from turning black..." she whispered. "What if they found out about it...?"

"Don't worry about that now," reassured Tera. "Just concentrate on getting better, and everything else will sort out itself."

"I hope so... And hey, can I talk to you about something... in private?"

Tera looked down at Rikka in surprise. "What is it, Rikka? Why can't we talk about it here?"

Sitting up straight, Rikka sniffed once, but did not look at Tera. "It has to be in private. Please." Her soft, lilting voice was almost pleading.

Hesitating for a while, Tera grappled with her tongue to find the right words. "If ya insist... Your wish is my command."

Rikka gave her a small, but still beautiful smile despite her pale features. "Thank you, Tera-chan."

Feeling all warmed up by seeing her friend's angelic smile again, Tera unwound and tilted her head back, putting her hands behind her. "Remember the day of the Water Festival, Rikka? Just before that, we were sittin' together like this on the balcony of our school, and you were singin' as I strummed the guitar. Do you remember?"

"Of course I do, Tera-chan," giggled Rikka, leaning her head onto Tera's shoulder for the second time. "How can I forget that peaceful moment? Up until Kureha-chan decided to burst into the room, that is."

"And almost sent us crashing to our deaths," smirked Tera, recalling the memory.

"I hope we can return to those days... Though it seems impossible now," Rikka sighed yearningly. "Can you promise me something, Tera-chan?"

"What is it?" Furrowing her brows in consternation, Tera could sense that although Rikka may seem tranquil and composed on the outside, she was keeping something huge and violent within herself – a vehement creature that threatened to break free of its chains and consume her sanity at a moment's notice.

"Promise... that you will take good care of Eruna-chan and Kureha-chan for me..."

"W-W-What are you talkin' about, senpai?" sputtered Tera, seizing her senior's hands. "Why are you sayin' things like that? You're not leavin' us, no you ain't!"

Rikka shook her head, a sad smile gracing her lips. "Who knows? Only time will tell what's going to happen. But promise me you will take care of them if something happens to me. You've already seen how bad it was, and I'm afraid this is only the beginning of something much more...worse."

"Rikka, you're scarin' me. I'm freaked out." Rikka was literally voicing out her own dark thoughts – It wasn't just once that she had thought about Rikka dying.

Chuckling faintly, Rikka hugged Tera and patted her back. "Don't be. We all die one day. Life is not without its goodbyes, right?"

"Yeah... But-"

"Then all is well. And while I'm still myself, let me tell you this: I love you, Tera-chan. You're the most wonderful friend I've ever had. Forgive me for anything that happens next; know that I will love you forever and ever, no matter what. Okay...?" The last word was said in a choke. Rikka could feel the sadness bubble up to her chest uncomfortably, but she had cried all too many times that day. She could not cry again, not in front of Tera anymore.

Tera nodded mutely, only managing a squeak. "Okay."

"That's my little tiger..." Rikka stroked at Tera's hair tenderly, hot tears dripping down her nose. "My brave, valiant little tiger..."

Rikka had to stay overnight at the hospital, as the doctors wanted to do more tests on her to make sure that she was really fine. They told her aunt to come back tomorrow morning, at around nine, and Tera may come too with some other friends if she wanted. And after that, if they saw to it that there was nothing wrong with Rikka, she may go home.

As they hooked her up to a saline drip, Rikka watched with sad eyes the retreating backs of her aunt and Tera. They wheeled her away in a wheelchair towards the wards, and she exhaled, staring at her phone in her lap. A text message had popped up on the screen.

' _Rikka-chan, how are you doing? I heard from your sister that you got admitted into the hospital. What happened?_ '

Painstakingly, she replied the text, tapping on the letters one by one as she tried not to let the needles in her hands disgust her. ' _Not sure what happened. I'll be discharged tomorrow if they think I'm alright._ ' And after a moment of hesitation, she added, ' _I miss you, Shin-kun ;-; It's been some time since I saw you. Will you come visit me tomorrow at nine here?'_

She sent off the text and slumped over, gripping her phone tremblingly. Ever since the summer holiday had started, she hadn't seen her boyfriend in person, and only kept in contact through messages. It was true that she missed him, almost terribly so, but she also had to tell him something important, something that could only be said face-to-face.

His reply popped up, and she almost cried again after reading it. ' _For you, I will do anything in the world. Love you to the ends of the earth, my beautiful angel. Take care, sleep well, I will see you tomorrow._ '

' _See you. Love you too~ ^^'_ she sent off, as the nurse wheeled her into the ward.

"There you go, Sayuki-san," she said kindly, helping Rikka to get onto the bed. "Rest up for a while. The doctors will be coming in to check on you soon. If you need anything, ring the buzzer, and a nurse will attend to you."

All alone again, Rikka buried her face in the pillow and emptied her mind, not wanting to think about tomorrow, and what would come with it.

 _Life is not without its goodbyes, right?_

How she hated life right now.

Moonlight dappled across the forest floor strewn with wet, dead leaves, illuminating small insects scurrying to and fro, busy with their own duties. Dust motes swirled in the air with each hushed step she took, nightbirds thrilled their aria to the darkness.

Laying a hand on her dog's collar, Shika led them through the familiar forest track, inhaling the damp musky scent of the woods. It always soothed her soul to walk here, especially at night, were the forest was at its quietest.

She had been out of the house for hours, wandering around the trails with Yuki while pondering over what she had seen in Homura's warehouse. The creature in the picture was still bothering her.

It... No, _they_ , had called to her, calling her Draakonjord. What could it possibly mean?

Yuki gave a low whine, nudging Shika's hand. "It's late and we're half drenched, Shika. When are we going back? Akira will be worried sick," she said in her husky, doggy voice. "You can't escape seeing her forever, if that's what you're trying to do."

"No, I'm not escaping Akira. Why would I do that?" Shika replied, brushing some leaves away from Yuki's back. "I just need some time alone, that's all."

"And you've have plenty already! Get back home now or you're gonna fall sick, missus! And you haven't even eaten a single thing since lunch, you must be starving by now."

"Not really..."

"If I have to drag you back myself, I'll gladly do it, Shika."

"There's no need for that, ahaha..."

"I'm serious."

They both stopped suddenly when a large beast leapt over their path. It was the size of a small husky, with long extensions coming out from pointed, cat-like ears. Its purple eyes gleamed perilously under the shafts of moonlights blending subtly into the landscape.

"An... Incubator?" said Shika, unsure. Yuki stepped up in front of Shika protectively, her hackles rising as she snarled at the creature.

The purple beast padded up confidently. "Yes, an Incubator. Correct, Shika Kiyomizu. But introductions will have to wait."

He licked his fangs with a rough pink tongue. "I have something to show you."

Akira opened the door anxiously, and when she saw Shika standing there meekly, she immediately dropped all cool pretences and enveloped her friend in a hug.

"Do you have any idea how worried I was, Shika?" exclaimed the white-haired girl, shutting her eyes tight. "Where did you go? And look at you, you're all wet! Take a bath right this instant, young lady!" Like a mother reprimanding her daughter, Akira shooed Shika into the bathroom and chucked in a towel after her.

"And don't come out until you're all clean!"

"Okay, okay! Stop shouting, mother!"

"I'm not your mother!"

"Then don't act like one, o' great samurai!"

"I'm not a samurai!"

"Oh yes you are!"

Tera, who had come back from the hospital an hour ago, was sitting on the floor together with Eruna and Kureha, playing a board game while sharing a bowl of chips. She had told them about Rikka's condition and what the doctors had said, and they were somewhat relieved that she was relatively okay.

"Sheesh, what an old couple," remarked Tera, glancing at the two seniors' direction. "They amuse me, lol."

"Ne, can we all visit Rikka-senpai tomorrow?" piped up Kureha, tossing her die. "Ooh, six! I get a wild card!"

"Yeah, we can," replied Tera. "Gimme the dice, would ya?"

"We'll be meeting Kobayashi-kun there. I told him to go visit my sister," said Eruna blandly as Tera moved her piece across the board.

"The more the merrier!" chirped Kureha cheerily.

As she stood under the freezing shower, Shika thought back on the meeting with the purple Incubator. Too many things had happened today, and she felt like she was going into mental overload.

Why had he shown her a vision of a pink-haired girl, with golden eyes? Who was she? And before she could ask him any questions, he had disappeared like smoke in the wind.

Regardless, she would have to find out for herself, who the girl in the vision was.

"Ughhhh." She knocked her head on the bathroom walls in vexation. How many more questions must she ask herself tonight?

Later that night, after Eruna and Kureha had left, Akira gathered the remaining trio and sat them around the kitchen table. "I guess it's already too late for any more discussions?" she stated matter-of-factly, glancing at the clock. It was ten thirty, and they were all worn out. "Should we leave any news for tomorrow, or get them done with now?"

Stretching her arms above her head, Tera yawned widely, rubbing at her eyes. "Nyaaaw, can we leave it all for tomorrow, before we meet Rikka? I'm pooped."

Shika exchanged a look with Akira, and they nodded together. "Alright. Everything will be left for tomorrow. We all have had a long day, and we need rest for whatever happens tomorrow." Akira got up and ushered them all into the bedroom. "Chop chop. Get to bed, you two."

"Aren't you sleeping yet, Akira?" asked Shika, cocking her head like a curious puppy.

"I've got some things to settle before that. You two sleep without me. I'll join you soon."

Obligingly, Shika entered the room, closed the door and was greeted by a crushing tackle from Tera.

"Shika-senpaaaai! You won't believe what happened today!"

Grinning to herself at Tara's irrepressibility, Akira stepped out of the house and stood on the small lawn, running her hand through her long hair. A nightjar called out somewhere from the forest depths, accompanied by the happy croaking of frogs revelling in the respite that the light shower had given them. Clouds studded across the bright moon, shrouding it partially.

Tomorrow.

She would approach them both tomorrow morning before going to the hospital. And she would ask them the question that had been nagging at her.

"Just what had happened eight months ago, Shika, Tera? Will I ever find out?"


	29. Chapter 27 : Request of the Goddess

_A lush meadow of grasses and flowers rolled out before her like a carpet, going on as far as the eye could see. Red, yellow, mahogany, pink, purple... The sky was cornflower blue with nary a cloud in sight, giving the place an ethereal feel. Vari-hued butterflies and brilliant, metallic bodied dragonflies fluttered and hovered about, dancing with the breeze. One could say that all the colours from the spectrum of the rainbow were present in this beautiful landscape._

 _The Earth Elemental took a step forward, testing her feet on the seemingly superficial ground warily. Who knew if all of this was only in her imagination, and a wrong step could send her tumbling to who-knows-where? When it did not sink under her, she took it as a good sign and planted both feet firmly down, bouncing a bit to make sure. Satisfied it would not give way under her, she looked around for the purple creature that had brought her here._

 _"Over here, Shika Kiyomizu."_

 _She turned her head to the direction of the voice, somewhere on her left, and saw the large Incubator standing a few feet away from her. He had a ruff of fur around his neck akin to a lion's mane, and sleek black fur adorned his back. His regal, draconic tail was swishing back and forth in an almost imperial manner._

 _Shika reached out her hand for her dog's collar, but realised that Yuki was not with her. "Where did my dog go, Incubator?" questioned Shika, glancing around her suspiciously._

 _"Your dog is where your physical body is, and you're both safe from harm, don't worry," explained the Incubator in a deep, rich voice. "Right now, you are in an alternate universe, a place where only the chosen may enter. Your soul has been detached from reality. In other words, you are currently in a state of limbo, and this is World Between Worlds, the balance of the universe." He shot her a cattish grin, revealing inch-long fangs of glittering peril._

 _Frowning slightly, Shika pondered about the possibility of his words, but as she could see for herself that this was obviously not Earth, she decided he was telling the truth._

 _After all, Incubators never lie._

 _They only spun the truth around and around like cotton candy atop a cone, layering it so softly that one would never see through their sweetened sentences._

 _"Come now. I have something I want to test out with your help." He skipped away lightly and disappeared beyond a small tuft of greens. Shika set her heart to it and followed him, taking each step resolutely. Whatever this Incubator wanted with her, it was worth the while finding out. He seemed very much different from Kyubey - more laid back, more dare-devilish and more carefree._

 _He wasn't your typical Incubator._

 _"Right here. Come and stand next to me, Kiyomizu, and look around." He pawed the ground, looking at her with his liquid purple eyes._

 _Shika obeyed without a word, getting more curious. She went to his side and looked around, expecting to see something that would throw her off her feet, but all around, the same scenery greeted her._

 _Rolling green hills dotted with nodding flowers. Azure blue vaults hanging above._

 _"What am I supposed to be looking for?" said Shika quizzically, glancing around. "Everything's the same here."_

 _"Right you are. Now that we see that there's nothing here, get onto your knees." He commanded her coolly, nodding his proud head towards the ground. He was telling her to kneel._

 _"Excuse me?" Shika looked at him incredulously, as if not quite believing what she had just heard._

 _"Listen to my instructions, Kiyomizu, if you want to see something happen. I believe you are the one that can pull her out of her cursed slumber." Although he had said that calmly enough, it was evident that he would tolerate no disobedience._

 _To disobey would mean to face punishment._

 _Shika eyed him grudgingly, but dropped to her knees anyway. "What do you want with me kneeling?" she demanded, the tougher side of her personality now showing itself should she need to take action against the cat-like creature. He was getting highly suspicious._

 _He ignored her question, instead saying, "Now, clasp your hands together in prayer and chant, 'O' Bringer of the Law of Cycles, descend from your heavenly throne and bestow me with your presence!'"_

 _"Law of Cycles?" Shika's gut seized up with an uncanny feeling. Where had she heard that term? It sounded familiar, close to heart... something that all Puella Magi should know about, yet couldn't quite grasp._

 _"Do not question me now. Do it with enthusiasm, and we shall see if your prayers are answered," said the alien cat, looking excited despite his level tone._

 _Sensing that something amazing might happen if she carried out his request, Shika closed her eyes and put her palms together, saying out loud and powerfully, "O' Bringer of the Law of Cycles, descend from your heavenly throne and bestow me with your presence!"_

 _Scarcely was the last word uttered when the sky burst into a multitude of lights, weaving and bending into magnificent displays like that of the aurora. Violet ribbons meshed into magenta streams as stars popped and sparked into sight. Clouds of condensed light swirled into a focal point in the centre of the sky, radiating holy energy. An intricate patterning of pink teardrops and circles, along with frills of black blossomed in the middle of it all, and a pathway of flowers thronged its way to the earth._

 _Like a spectre coming to life, a winged figure clad in a galactic dress appeared in the glow, white wings spread wide and hands clasped at her chest. Stars trailed behind her as she floated down the lane of flowers, a serene smile on her lips. When she finally opened her eyes, the irises were of the clearest gold, shining and sparkling with untainted purity._

 _The Goddess, the Bringer of the Law of Cycles, was here._

 _Shika gasped, almost falling over in shock. However, she was rooted there, as if feeling a kinship with this god-like persona. Next to her, the Incubator's fur bristled and his feline eyes glimmered with greed._

 _"I can't believe this..." he muttered, his voice shaking as he took a step forward. "I knew it. You would be able to summon the Goddess of Puella Magi..."_

 _"G-Goddess?" Shika stammered, looking at the Incubator in disbelief. Her head jerked from the cat to the holy figure, and back to the cat, and she suddenly had a very sickening thought._

 _Incubators were here for one reason, and only one reason - to maintain the balance of entropy. Why else would an Incubator get excited at the prospect of seeing the Goddess of Puella Magi if not to use her to their advantage, and somehow increase their entropy harvest? Was this purple Incubator thinking just that, or was she being delusional?_

 _The Goddess flew towards her with all the grace of a ballet dancer, her pink hair tied in pigtails flowing out behind her. "Shika Kiyomizu, I thank you for calling me here," she said in a childish, yet somehow mature voice. "I've been stuck in my physical body for far too long. If you haven't called for me in the World Between Worlds, and reminded me of who I truly am, I fear that this part of me may be lost forever."_

 _Shika could only gawp at the girl. The Goddess laughed, like a merry, trickling brook, and took Shika's hands into hers. She smiled kindly and said, "Oh, look at where my manners are. I know your name, but I haven't even told you mine."_

 _"Madoka Kaname..." whispered Shika, her memories suddenly returning to her. Her forest green eyes dulled for a moment, as if trying to recall something crucial. "You're Madoka Kaname... You're the one that cleanses our corruption before we turn into Witches, and takes us away to the Law of Cycles."_

 _Madoka was pleasantly surprised. "Eh? How did you know about me? Normal Puella Magi don't usually know about my existence right until their final moment comes. Ahh! Don't tell me you're already dead?"_

 _"N-No! I'm still alive," said Shika quickly, waving her hands about flusteredly. Then, she seemed not so confident anymore, and added, "At least I think I'm still alive..."_

 _"I'm very sure you are, dear," smiled Madoka, squeezing Shika's hands reassuringly. "I can feel your physical body down on Earth, together with your faithful dog. I believe you did not call for me without a proper reason?"_

 _"Uh... Actually, I was dragged into this," replied Shika awkwardly. "The purple Incubator... huh?" When she had turned around to address the cat, he was no longer there. There were not even tell-tale signs that he had ever been there; not a hair, not a paw print, nothing. He had disappeared._

 _"B-But...!" stammered Shika, looking around wildly for the creature. "I swear he was here just a while ago. He was the one that brought me here!"_

 _Madoka smiled and shook her head, putting a hand on Shika's shoulder. "Never mind him. Incubators have their own weird ways. Though, I am quite uneasy about them. Why do you think he brought you to the World Between Worlds?"_

 _"I'm not sure, to be honest," said Shika hesitantly. "But he did say something about me being able to summon the Goddess of Puella Magi... which is you, I take it?"_

 _Nodding her head, Madoka confirmed the fact. "I am the Goddess in question. If you would allow me, can I tell you about who I was, and how I became what I am now? And after that, I will tell you more about who you really are."_

 _"I would be glad to listen to your story as well as to find out more about myself, Goddess Kaname," said Shika reverently, bowing her head low._

 _"Please, call me Madoka," said the young Goddess with a smile. It seemed she would never run short of smiles. "I once was a normal girl, living a normal life. I had great friends - friends that really loved me and cared for me deeply. But conflict started to happen when a dear friend of mine, Homura Akemi, decided to take things into her own hands to try and save me from my destiny. Over and over again, she rewinded time, trying to change my fate, which was either death or transformation into a Witch that could potentially destroy Earth, but each time, she would fail."_

 _"It was not until the final timeline that I finally realised what she had been doing for me. She had sacrificed her own happiness so that I may live a normal life. But I couldn't stand by and watch her suffer any more. Neither could I just watch as girls of all ages and backgrounds died due to the will of the Incubators. So I made a contract with Kyubey, foiling his plans, and my wish turned me into this... I am no longer a human, nor fully a Goddess... but rather something that exists between the worlds, a protector of Puella Magi, an entity of hope. I exist solely to save the lives of Puella Magi before they fall to their own despair and be reborn as the enemies they were meant to fight, namely the Witches. Right now, the World Between Worlds is the only place where I can safely manifest as my Goddess form, without having fear that Homura-chan will hunt me down and return me to my shell."_

 _"My role is crucial in making sure that Puella Magi do not fall victim to the twisted ploys of the Incubators... So I don't know why Homura-chan would want to stop me from doing that. Also..." Here, she stopped, looking uncertain. "That Incubator you were talking about, Shika-chan... It makes me wonder if he had you call me for a reason." A finger went to her lips as she pondered about it._

 _Shika creased her brows, feeling a choking sensation in her throat. It was not because of the purple Incubator's plots, nor was it any surprise from seeing a Goddess._

 _No, she was thinking about Homura Akemi, and what Madoka had said about her rewinding time to prevent Madoka's death and to save her from her fate. With her memories about the Goddess rapidly returning to her, all she wanted to know now was,_ who exactly is Homura Akemi _?_

 _Her thoughts were broken when Madoka gave a pained yell, clutching at her heart. Shika was by her side at once, frantically holding onto the white gloved hand of the Goddess. "What's wrong, Madoka?! What's happening?" she asked, watching in horror as Madoka's body began to shimmer in and out of existence._

 _The Goddess gave a groan, her body disappearing and reappearing unnervingly in Shika's arms. "I cannot..ugh... maintain my holy form for long. Homura-chan knows I've been called to the World Between Worlds, and- ack!- she's trying to pull me back into my physical body." Blinking through gritted teeth and deep-rooted pain, Madoka said to Shika urgently, "Shika-chan, you have to find Homura-chan and make her stop this! Without me to lead the fallen Puella Magi away to the Law of Cycles, the world will be as it was before, where Incubators exploit us and use our emotional energies to their advantage. Without me, the cycle of death and rebirth as Witches will go on, and Puella Magi will never have salvation. Aahhh!" She gave a scream that tore at Shika's heart, and she began to rapidly dissolve into particles of glowing dust. Panicked, Shika tried to grab at them and prevent them from floating away, but Madoka stopped her, smiling in spite of her agony._

 _"No, it's useless to try," she said. "This will not be the last time you'll see me, I promise. Now that your soul has entered the World Between Worlds once, it will remember the way here. All you need to do is project your thoughts and your soul into this world, and you'll find yourself here once more. Before you do that, make sure your body is in a safe place, where it cannot be harmed. I may not be able to come even if you call for me, as Homura-chan will probably increase her alertness now that she knows I can access this place. To go back to your body, just think of it, and you will feel yourself being pulled away. Do not resist."_

 _Floating away from Shika's arms, her lower body already gone, Madoka leaned forward and kissed Shika gently on the forehead. "My blessings are with you, Shika Kiyomizu. Find my physical body, free me from Homura-chan's grasp, and restore the Law of Cycles. I am sorry for asking you of this, but to be able to enter the World Between Worlds, it means that you are special." Further and further away she drifted, the formations in the sky falling apart like pieces of ripped paper._

 _"You are the Angel of Battle that I have seen in my dreams. Together with your two friends, the Angel of Warfare and the Angel of Destruction, you will be able to save Homura-chan and bring her to salvation. When you've done that, I will be able to return to my true form and save the Puella Magi from their terrible fates."_

 _With only her head left, Madoka smiled one more time, floating away into the sky. "You are the hope of all Puella Magi. The One Month of Reversals only served to make you stronger, as it did to the Angel of Destruction. I will see you soon, my good Angel. Be brave..."_

 _Shika could only watch in wide-eyed disbelief as the vaults above exploded into a waterfall of luminous sparks, shards of transparent sky showering over her like coarse glitter. Meshes of wire-like objects could be seen where the sky had shattered, and beyond that was empty whiteness. It was as if she were in an elaborately decorated cage for the damned, draped over with a blue substance meant to be the sky. A loud sucking sound reverberated across the lands, and the sky began to patch itself up again, the white areas turning deep blue. In almost no time, the landscape was restored to its former beauty._

 _The Goddess was nowhere to be seen._

 _"What just happened...?" Shika half-whispered to herself, still staring at the spot where Madoka had materialised. "Angel of Battle? Angel of Warfare and Destruction? Me, Akira and Tera-san...?"_

 _She laughed nervously to herself. She, an Angel of Battle? The Goddess must have been mistaken..._

 _But then she remembered that day, where she had defeated the high-class Witch, Ciel, with Akira, and was approached by Kyubey. He had told her that she was definitely the Messiah and needed to defeat the Demon, Homura Akemi. He had told her about the Elemental Trio's role in doing that. He had wanted her to mount a war against Homura once she had gathered them._

 _It now seemed that he wasn't lying to her._

 _Except... there was one tiny flaw. He had also told her that she was supposed to be the next Goddess. Seeing as there was already one, Shika couldn't help but wonder what made him say that. Could it be possible that he did not know about Madoka's existence?_

 _... ..._

 _Realisation suddenly hit her like a sledgehammer. Could it be that the purple Incubator had made her summon the Goddess so that he had proof of her existence? Was he bounding back to his fellow Incubators and telling them all about Madoka right now? If so, wouldn't that mean that she had just betrayed the Goddess?_

 _Her whole body was drained of its warmth, stunned by the revelation, as the butterflies flew close by, curious about this new presence. They settled all over her, on her shoulders, her head, her arms and her legs, and upon closer inspection, Shika recoiled in horror when she saw that the insects were not as pretty as they made out to be._

 _They had the heads of slain Puella Magi from the past, compound eyes of insects, fingers for feet and multicoloured, stretched skin for wings. She shouted in shock and fell over, upsetting them as they flew upwards in a cloud. She was trying to put some distance between herself and the revolting monstrosities, and when she tried to summon her mallet, it did not come._

 _"TSK TSKZZZ YOU CAANOT USEESZ WEAPONSZ HERE ITZS FORBIDDEENSZ!" They buzzed and shrieked in their individual tiny voices, but to have a hundred of them screaming at once was like experiencing a metal-rock concert with the speakers right next to you._

 _Shika clamped her hands over her ears and cringed, hastily thinking about her physical body and Yuki, who would be worried about her. '_ Come on... go back now... Get back to your body...' _she told herself firmly, getting thoroughly freaked out by the insects. The butterflies' fingers crawled over her, prodding and feeling as they screamed at her to leave._

 _"LEAAVSS THISZ PLACEEE HUMANZ NO BELONGHZ HERE! SKREEKAAAHHRAA!"_

 _To her utmost relief, she felt her soul being tugged away towards her body, reeling it in like a fishing net on a chain. The distorted voices of the butterflies faded away, and soon, she heard no more._

"At this point, I don't think I can be fazed by anything anymore, dear, but are you sure you didn't dream it up?" whispered Akira, her head leaning in closer towards Shika's so that her words could be heard. They were still in bed, on the floor, and dawn had just broken. Tera was sleeping next to them, snoring gently and unaware that her seniors were already up and discussing something important.

"I'm very sure it wasn't a dream. I talked with the Goddess, and she told me those exact words," replied Shika softly, furrowing her forehead. "It seems that Kyubey and the Goddess are both telling us to do the same thing - defeat Homura Akemi."

"And after defeating her, what happens? Does the Goddess make a comeback and kill the Incubators for us, or do the Incubators capture her and use her, like you thought they might?" questioned Akira, smoothing back her hair. "Knowing those furry scoundrels, they'd celebrate at the thought of a Puella Magi Goddess, cause that would only mean a new way of harvesting their precious entropy."

"Yeah... Now I'm not sure if I'd done the right thing, calling for Madoka in front of that purple Incubator. He must have wanted proof that the Goddess existed, and from there, made new plans for whatever it is they're up to." Shika sighed and pulled the blankets around her closer, snuggling into them with a dejected look. "Some Angel I am, betraying her existence to the enemy..."

"It's not your fault, Shika darling," said Akira soothingly, placing a hand on Shika's head and brushing away the hair from her eyes. "He damn right tricked you into it. You didn't know what would've happened if you did as he told. But it's alright. You can meet the Goddess again if you go there... though those butterflies... They're freaky."

"Freaky doesn't give full justice to how they look and act..." shuddered Shika. "After that experience, I dread going back to that world. But to find out more, I have to..."

"I wish I could accompany you there, but I don't know how to project our souls. I doubt that without the interference of an Incubator, I'd ever go there. I'm not sure about Tera-chan though."

"Hmm... I don't know, really. It felt so... natural when I detached my soul from my body. I don't think the Incubator did anything to me."

"Then you are indeed the Chosen One if you can do that, as the Goddess had said." Akira smiled encouragingly at Shika, and despite feeling a bit off, Shika smiled back, glad that she had Akira to confide in.

"Nghh... Can you two lovers shut the hell up?" grumbled a sleepy Tera, rearing up momentarily to shoot the older girls a glare. "A body's tryin' to get some sleep here, doncha' know? If you wanna flirt, be my guest, but do it outside cuz I feel like a frickin' third wheel."

"A-Aren't you asleep, Tera-san?! And n-no one's flirting!" blurted out Shika, flushing red and rolling away from Akira.

"Y-Yeah, we were just talking about something serious!" backed up Akira, her fingers nervously adjusting her bangs over her ruined eye.

Tera raised a cranky eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Your faces were so damn close, you could've kissed."

Shika quickly got up and excused herself to the bathroom, while Akira turned on Tera, her cheeks hot.

"Oh my god, Aido get back to sleep _right now_ or I'll _freeze_ you in a block of ice and _throw_ you in the river where you'll _drift_ off to the sea and be eaten by a pack of hungry sharks and I won't even care because I _obviously_ don't give a damn about you and that barbarian personality of yours which makes me want to-"

"Woaah, senpai, calm the hell down," said Tera quickly, throwing a pillow into Akira's face. "I was only kiddin', sheesh... Though it's fun to see you flustered, ehe."

Tera gave Akira a wicked grin before falling back onto the pillows, muttering, "I'm just gonna go back to sleep now and dream of ships sailing under the name of ShiKira. Oh, and thanks for callin' me by my first name again, with a -chan at the back. I really love the way you say it cause it sounds so natural yet so forced."

" _Y-You little_ -! _God_ , I am so done with you." Akira sank her head in a pillow and sighed exasperatedly.

How on earth was that girl so cheeky and irrepressible? She would never know...


	30. Chapter 28 : Lost Love

Everyone was pleasantly surprised by the phone call that Tera had received this morning. It was from Rikka, and she had good news.

"She's gettin' discharged today, guys! Yeah!" whooped Tera, twirling around the kitchen with her phone in her hand. She swept Shika into a hug, whirled around with her around the floor twice, let go and pranced over to the window, smiling widely. "I need to practice a song on the piano so we can duet when she feels better. Good thing I made you lug my keyboard here, Akira-senpai, hehe." Tera patted her keyboard with a cheeky grin. It was in a corner of the living room, below the window, so when she played, she could feel the summer breeze waft in. It was a nice spot to play the piano indeed.

Akira chuckled at her antics. "Of course. I risked my neck to chuck that thing into the backseat. And great to hear that Rikka-san is better. What time should we be going over to get her?"

"Accordin' to her, we can come over at ten and bring her back home, so that gives us an hour to get everythin' ready for a warm welcome. Her useless aunt expects us to take care of her and refuses to do anythin' but I ain't surprised at that," said Tera off-handedly. She pounced onto Akira and grabbed her around the neck, grinning as Akira shouted in alarm. "Can Eruna and Kureha-chan come along? It won't take you long to fetch them, would it? If you refuse me, I'll tickle you."

" _No!_ " exclaimed Akira at once. Then she saw the evil glint in Tera's eyes and quickly corrected herself. "I mean, _yes_! Yes, I can pick them up, but _no_! No tickling me or I'll fling you into an oven and roast you alive. I'm serious!"

"Of course you're serious, senpai," smirked Tera, releasing her hold on Akira. "Ooh, I can't wait to see her! I hope she's as okay as she sounds!"

Akira crossed her legs and leaned back on the chair, saying confidently, "I'm sure she'll be okay. You'll probably see her smiling widely, eager to go home, right, Shika dear?"

"Huh?" Shika, who was standing against the fridge in a daze, was not listening to the conversation at all. She blanched and fumbled around for the words, getting only a squeak out. "Err... Y-yeah! Yup!"

Akira narrowed her eye. "You're not with us, Shika. What's on your mind right now?" she said quickly, catching on to her friend's detached mood.

"Uh... N-Nothing! It's fine!" blurted out Shika, waving a hand dismissively with a nervous smile.

"Nothing? I don't believe you... Which reminds me, I had wanted to ask you something along with Aido-san yesterday, but it was already late, so I didn't. I guess now's the time for it." Akira's expression darkened as she got up and took both Shika and Tera's wrists, pulling them out into the small garden. They didn't protest.

When Akira was like that, obeying her was the wisest choice.

She made them sit on the grass like a teacher seating her students, and she herself sat in seiza before them. Yuki bounded up to them from her kennel with a joyful bark, meaning to greet them with licks, but a stare from Akira shut the bubbly dog up. She whined and returned to her kennel hastily, tail tucked between her hind legs.

Tera whispered out of the corner of her mouth, anxiety lacing her voice. "Hey hey, senpai, did we do somethin' wrong? Why is she so strung up?"

"No idea..." lied Shika, her back rigid with dread. She knew why Akira was like this, but didn't want to tell Tera.

"Darn, is she mad with me about this mornin'? I should have left you guys alone."

"Ahaha, very funny..."

Akira's sharp voice stopped any further whispering, and they both jolted to the present. "I want an honest answer from the both of you out of this. No lies, no hiding anything. I'm tired of staying in the dark about this 'One Month' thing, so get it all out now, once and for all, especially you, Shika."

Shika gulped. Her palms became moist with sweat almost instantly. How did Akira know about the One Month?

Next to her, Tera fidgeted uncomfortably, tugging at the grass and tearing them up. She looked up, opened her mouth to say something, then shut it again, staring at the torn up leaves.

"Well?" Akira folded her arms across her chest and glared at them, making her look ten times scarier than she already was. "I've tried to ask nicely, but I never get an answer, so I have to resort to force. If no one talks, I'm going to lock you both out of the house to think about it. Maybe the summer sun will cook some sense into those half-wet brains of yours."

"E-Eh? No need to do that, senpai!" yelped Tera, shooting Akira an apologetic yet nervous grin. "W-We'll talk, okay? Don't get all jumpy, please." She elbowed Shika, hissing out of the corner of her mouth, " _Talk, you deer, or we'll get thrown out of house and home!_ "

Cornered and defeated, Shika could see no way out of this. She gave a sigh and looked away, mumbling, "Okay, I'll talk... But it may not make sense to you. That's why I avoided talking about it."

Akira's face changed at once, her authoritative-samurai facade dropping away. Back to her normal self whenever Shika needed emotional support, she leaned forward and clasped Shika's hands, saying, "Certain experiences that you've had may not make sense to others, but to you, they're as real as concrete. Others may not feel its impact, but you do. And as your friend, I will help you in any way possible to overcome your past." Her expression softened with compassion. "So... don't ever hesitate to tell me anything, Shika. We're here to help each other out, after all."

Tera had to hide a snort of laughter. "I swear... You two are perfect for each other. Get married already."

"Now's not the time for this, Aido!" shouted Akira hotly, flushing red as her hands whipped away from Shika's. "Really, stop your yuri jokes, they're not funny!"

"I only speak the truth, woman. Why, you should take a look at yourselves, and you'd agree. It's just so _unfortunate_ that I happen to ship yuri, and you two fit the bill perfectly for me."

"We're only friends, so there! Who says friends can't be affectionate with each other?"

Shika simply sighed, shaking her head. If she didn't say anything now, their argument would draw out until kingdom come. "It happened eight months ago-" she said loudly, then stopped when she noticed her two friends fixing her with intense stares. That seemed to have caught their attention.

"Er... Sorry about that," coughed Shika, lowering her voice in embarrassment. "So, I... I died eight months ago. Yeah..."

"You _what_?!" screamed Akira, shaking her friend's shoulders in disbelief. "How can you die if you're here with me now? Oh God, don't tell me you're an illusion! Maybe I'm in a dream. Someone slap me!"

Tera leaped up at the opportunity, grinning madly. "I'd gladly wake you up to reality, senpai. Ehehe..."

"N-No, I'm not an illusion, and you're not in a dream. Calm down and let me explain," said Shika nervously, pulling Tera back down. This was why she didn't want to talk about it. Even though Akira was smart, she freaked out way too easily when it came to shocking news regarding her close friends. She'd once witnessed Akira going into complete breakdown when someone had pranked her about her aunt's death.

It wasn't pretty.

"It's complicated, so I need you to listen carefully," continued Shika warily. She was dreading her next words. Maybe she shouldn't have started it with her death.

The two girls nodded, but stayed quiet, waiting for their friend to speak. She looked into Akira's eye, her face set in grim stone. "Remember when you left for Canada on a business trip with your parents eight months ago, Akira? We didn't contact each other, did we?"

"Not really... Which made me worry about you a whole lot. Why are you bringing this up now?" said Akira inquisitively.

"I was busy fighting for my life back then, that's why." Shika craned her neck back, staring into the blue sky and bright sun. "But that was my last fight. I managed to conquer the Witch in the end..."

"Hang up there, you're not makin' sense, senpai," interrupted Tera. "First, you said you died. Now, you're sayin' you had a fight with a Witch while Akira-senpai was gone, so that would mean you're alive. Please explain cause I'm really just a dim-witted oaf who can't understand complicated stuff."

"I'm not very good at storytelling, am I?" chuckled Shika dryly. "I guess I'll start over properly-"

Yuki gave an explosive bark from her kennel, causing all three girls to jump.

" _Wraiths! It's an ambush!_ " she snarled, running over to Shika. True to her word, nearly threescore of the monstrosities emerged from the forest, their cloaks hiding away their bodies as they glided towards the Puella Magi with a primal lust.

"Damn those cursed Wraiths!" Akira spat, transforming. She was so close to hearing Shika's past, but the Wraiths turned up at the wrong time and interfered with everything. Now, she would have to wait for another opportunity to present itself, and who knew when that would be. Her twin rapiers coalesced from the moisture in the air, keen and murderous, impatient to hack at the pixel-composed horrors.

"Nyaaww, I'm tired of all this fightin'! I need a damn break from this," growled Tera, her arms bursting into her fiery claws. "Well, give the orders, or I'm just gonna rush 'em and give 'em blood'n vinegar!"

"Stay your claws, Tera-san," warned Shika, already atop a transformed Yuki. "Akira, what's the strategy?"

"Strategy?" Akira snorted dismissively and sent a rapier flying at the nearest Wraith's head. The weapon pierced through the monster easily, embedding itself in the head of the Wraith behind it, killing two at once. "There's really no need for one. I don't see any Brocken-Wraith with them, so they're likely a disorganised rabble. Take out the front ranks quickly and savagely and we might just scare away the rest. Got it?"

"Aye aye, sir. I like the plan. Tis' simple," grinned Tera. Without waiting any longer, she gave a deep roar and leapt at the foremost Wraith, digging her claws into its neck and ripping it apart. In quick succession, she swung up and grabbed another head, twisting it off and tossing it into the back ranks. Infused with her fire magic, it detonated like a bomb, killing three more. On the other side, Akira threw her remaining rapier at a Wraith on her left, and commanded the weapon's ice-body to spike outwards. Spear-like icicles erupted from the weapon within the unlucky Wraith's body, impaling those closest to it. Meanwhile, Shika spurred Yuki onwards into the centre rank, brandishing her warhammer left and right. It took down four Wraiths as the dog bulldozed her way among them, snapping at the flowing cloaks and causing widespread mayhem. More Wraiths poured out from the forest, undeterred by their slain brethren.

" _I'm sorry, Akira... I promise I'll tell you about it when the time is right._ " Shika battered away at her foes with scary determination, mentally apologising to her friend. Wraiths fell like ninepins around her, unable to withstand her might.

She had a feeling that Akira wouldn't have to wait any much longer until the truth came out. Secrets were never meant to be kept from friends after all.

Rikka wandered around the ward restlessly, taking care to avoid the other patients. They reminded her of terrible things, and right now, she did not want to remember anything of the sort. She glanced at the white wall clock at the entrance to the ward, noting the time. It was nine, and she was expecting someone to be here, before anyone else.

Deciding to walk to the doors, she kept her eyes strictly front, away from the moaning patients along the aisle. She tugged at the collar of her hospital gown nervously as she walked past a patient who was swathed from head to toe in horrific bandages. A nurse stationed at the entrance smiled at her warmly, asking if she needed anything. Rikka shook her head, saying that she was waiting for a visitor. After a while, the nurse got up and left, taking some papers along with her. She must have had some work to do inside.

Alone now, Rikka leaned against the doorway, staring through the window at the blue sky outside. The corridor leading to the wards was deserted, even though visiting hours had just started. Rikka gnawed at her lip, wondering why there weren't any people coming to visit their hurt loved ones. Were hospitals as cursed as she thought they were? Maybe she was just paranoid?

"Rikka!"

Her ears perked up at the sound of the familiar voice. Striding over towards her purposefully, with a concerned yet relieved look on his face, was her boyfriend.

"Shin-kun!" Rikka broke into a smile, straightening herself eagerly as she briefly forgot about her burdens. Shin increased his pace, and upon reaching her, promptly folded her into a hug. Rikka melted into his arms right away, feeling comforted by his presence. To be loved unconditionally by someone was the best thing she could ask for, and right now, she wished that the love would never end.

It was indeed a sad wish to have. Her smile was lost upon her lips when she thought of what would come next.

A lady walked past them, wearing a bemused look on her face. Shin came out of the embrace and bowed his head respectfully at the lady, as if saying 'excuse us'. She hurried past them, not wanting to disturb anything between the young couple.

"So, what did the doctor say about your condition?" asked Shin, as Rikka looped an arm around his. They returned to the ward because Rikka was not allowed to leave until ten.

"... He said I suffered from an extreme panic attack that sent me into convulsions. Aside from that, he couldn't find anything else wrong with me," replied Rikka in her pleasing, lilting accent, leading him to her cubicle. She had left out the part about her black eyes, because, honestly speaking, Shin didn't need to know about it.

Everything was about to end anyway. The less he knew, the better it would be for the two of them.

She invited him to sit on the bed next to her and held onto his hand, trying to keep him and his touch with her for as long as she could. "He wanted me to stay a bit more, but seeing as I'm already fine, and there are new patients coming in, I'm to be discharged today," she whispered, looking down at her toes. She was thankful she didn't need to stay any longer. One night was enough of a terror for her.

"Ah, I see." Shin squeezed her hand affectionately. "I was worried sick about you, Rikka. Thank the Gods you're okay." He looked at her with so much love, Rikka felt like crying.

After all, she was about to do something unforgivable to him.

"And hey, I brought something for you. Hold on." He fished about his pockets and took out a lovely piece of peppermint, holding it out to her with a smile. "It's not much, but I thought you might like something sweet, after your ordeal and all."

Rikka took the candy with a trembling hand, unable to stop her tears from flowing down. Why was Shin such a nice guy? It would make things all the more difficult for her later on.

She quickly got up from the bed and drew the curtains around the cubicle so that they would have more privacy, and to not offend the other patients around. Choking on a sob, she threw herself into Shin's arms and started crying.

"Hey, what's wrong, Rikka-chan?" Now that they were 'alone', he gathered her up and hugged her tight, feeling her overwhelming sorrow permeating the very air around them. Something wasn't right. Although he knew that Rikka was a very emotional person and was prone to cry at any moment, this time, it felt different.

It felt like deceit and doom shrouded under a veil of tears.

He simply held onto her, getting puzzled and worried for his girlfriend. He hadn't seen her in person since the summer holidays had started, and now that he had, he saw that she looked... pale, with all the essence of life sucked out from her. Her beautiful eyes, he now realised with a shock, seemed like empty orbs of nothingness. No cute sparkle, no flirty glint... Absolutely nothing.

What had happened to her?

"Rikka...? What's wrong?" he asked her gently. He was aware that he may be asking something he shouldn't, but he couldn't bear to see her like this. "You can tell me, like you've always done. You don't need to keep secrets from me, and I don't keep mine from you either."

Rikka pressed her face into his shirt as she controlled her sobbing, at last bringing it down to a hiccup. "I-I can't tell you... I'm sorry..."

Shin placed a hand on her head, stroking her hair softly. "It's alright. I understand. But when the time comes, please tell me everything... Okay?"

Swallowing hard, she nodded unnaturally, knowing that she was lying to him. She lifted her head, not looking at Shin. "Okay... Hey, can you excuse me for a while? I need to go to the bathroom..."

"Sure. You want me to walk you there?" Ever concerned, the kind boy offered his help, but Rikka turned him down.

"I'll be fine. Just stay here awhile."

She made her way to the bathroom, dutifully keeping her eyes away from the other patients. Once inside, she found it to be empty. She entered the shower cubicle at the far end and locked the door, burying her face in her hands.

Four days. It only took four days after Homura's 'visit' for her to go into a complete breakdown. She couldn't handle any more of this mental torment. It had to end, one way or another, or she'd go into Despair. She'd contemplated getting Shin out of the mess she had made by breaking up with him, then bargaining with Homura for his life in exchange for the grief she had sustained. As for Eruna, she'd send her away to her aunt, beg her to take her in and then lie about her going off overseas to study with a friend and was never coming back. And last of all... Tera. Tera, she wasn't afraid for. That girl could take care of herself just fine, and she now had two powerful allies with her. She would be fine.

It was the other two that she was worried about.

She removed her hands from her face and stared morosely at the tiles. It was not going to work. Homura would just hunt them down... Maybe killing herself would be the easiest way out. If she killed herself in front of Homura, then she'd have no reason to harm Eruna and Shin anymore. She would gladly die for their sakes.

But... what if Homura still decided to kill them out of anger?

No, she mustn't destroy her Soul Gem yet. There might still be a way out of this.

 _Think! Come on, there must be a loophole in her orders!_ Frustrated and driven near crazy, Rikka slid to the floor of the cubicle, squatting and rocking on her heels. _Think, Rikka! There must be a way to save everyone without doing this to them..._

A hand reached out of nowhere and landed on her shoulder. "Rikka Sayuki. You look even worse than the last time I saw you."

Shouting in alarm, Rikka knocked her head against the door and stared wildly about her. She came face to face with the Demon, simpering above her. "Time is ticking away, yet you haven't killed Tera Aido. Do you really want your sister and boyfriend to die?"

Filled with a sudden hatred, Rikka summoned an axe and swung it at Homura's head, leaving a glowing blue trail in the air like a neon blur. But the Demon laughed and ducked at a terrifying speed, and the weapon thudded into the wall, cracking it. "My, my, you really are befitting of the title 'assassin'. If I had been any slower, I would have been killed by your axe a hundred times over," drawled Homura, chuckling.

"You... _You're mad!_ " yelled Rikka, her features contorted with rage as Homura's laughing intensified. "I won't carry out your order, so there! You'll only hurt my loved ones over my dead body!"

"Sacrificing yourself now, are you? Such a noble but stupid act. Reminds me of someone I once knew..." Homura said, twirling a strand of her hair as she thought about Sayaka Miki, the fallen knight. "Both of you fight for justice, but the difference between you and her is that you're more selfish, fighting only for the ones you truly love, while she fights for everyone. Can't say which is worse, actually. In the end, it was all in vain for her..." Homura's purple eyes flashed dully at Rikka. "Will your sacrifice be in vain too, assassin Magi?"

Rikka's nerves were fraying. Every second spent with the Demon drove her to more insane heights. "You'll see... My sacrifice won't be in vain. You'll never kill Tera-chan. She'll be the one to kill you instead..." growled the blunette, her bottomless pits of eyes glaring back at Homura.

"I understand that as you forsaking your task to me?" questioned Homura with a pout. "You make me so unhappy, Sayuki."

Her breath caught in her throat. Whenever someone used the word 'unhappy' on her, it was as if a pile driver had smashed onto her chest and crushed her heart. "Don't you dare use those words on me..." whined Rikka feebly, attempting to sound fiercer than she felt.

Homura knew she had Rikka trapped again. With soft teasing words, she cornered the girl skilfully like a spider spinning its web around its prey. "It tears me up to have you not carry out my wish. I'm so sad about it; I don't think I'd be able to sleep tonight. How can you do this to me, you cruel, heartless girl?"

"Stop!" barked Rikka, covering her hands over her ears. "I don't want to hear anything coming out from your snake-like mouth!"

"You know it's too late for that now, right? I just need to keep pleading you, and you'd do it anyway, against your better judgement. That's just the way your wish works, isn't it?" said Homura craftily. "Please? Make me happy by carrying out my wish. Or I'll cry and show you what a mean person you've been." Homura gave a sniffle, as if threatening to turn on her crocodile tears.

Rikka slumped over. She was defeated. Again.

"I-I'll do it... Just- Stop. Don't say anything else."

"Gladly," grinned the Demon, back to her devious self. "You have two more days before I kill your beloved ones. But, if you want me to spare your sister and boyfriend, then break all ties with them - tonight, if possible. I'll wipe their memories clean of your existence; they won't miss a thing."

At this, Rikka gasped. Here was an opportunity for her to save Shin and Eruna. Her previous plans may work out after all. However, the Demon was not done speaking yet.

"And after you do that _and_ kill Aido, join me as my personal assassin. There are a few more bugs that I need squashing other than your friend, and I have a feeling you know who they are - a certain ice queen and a girl with a dog. Promise me this, and your loved ones will be spared. I'm even saving them the pain of grieving over you by erasing you from their memory. Is this a deal, Sayuki? Join me, and you'll save them." Homura waited for a response, licking her lips meaningfully.

But Rikka did not reply. Instead, she glared at the Demon with increasing hatred, her white scleroses blackening as she unconsciously tried to paralyse her foe. Homura was trapping her, forcing her to kill Tera... but what choice did she have?

"Alright... I'll join you," snarled Rikka finally, glaring at Homura. Her voice was like metal screeching upon metal -harsh and angry. Homura, however, showed no signs of seizing up from the paralysing waves her eyes were emitting. Maybe her power did not work on the Demon. "You have to spare them, or I'll kill you myself. You won't know you're dead until you see my blade between your ribs..."

"Splendid! Thank you for joining me, your help is really appreciated." The purple-eyed girl smirked and gave a mock bow, unfazed by the threat. She continued, "I shall hide away and witness as you break up with your precious Shin Kobayashi. I believe he's just outside, waiting for you. If you don't do it, then he'll be a goner by tonight..." As suddenly as she had appeared, Homura vanished, leaving behind a lingering aura of despicable taste.

When Rikka exited the bathroom, she saw Shin standing there looking worried. He went up to her, saying, "You were gone for so long, I was starting to get scared. I almost had a nurse go in to look for you."

She gave him an apologetic smile, the black seeping back into the depths of her eyeballs. It wouldn't do to stun Shin, nor anyone else, right now. "Sorry. There was this piece of dirt under my nail that took some time washing out," she lied expertly. Never before in her life had she lied so much; she was becoming accustomed to it, and she did not enjoy it at all.

Back at her bed, she glanced at the clock again, noting that it was now half-past nine. Only thirty more minutes until the others came to take her away. It was now or never. She had already set her heart to it earlier, but now, with Homura opening the gates of hope for Shin's survival, she found renewed motivation. She was going to save him.

"Shin-kun, I have something to tell you..." She creased the hem of her dress apprehensively, preparing herself for what would come next. The curtains were once more drawn around them for privacy. She had made sure there were no cracks between them, for what she was about to do might offend the other patients.

"What is it, Rikka?" He frowned slightly, noticing her tense posture.

She looked away from him, blushing. "This would be rather sudden, but I don't have any other opportunity to do it after today... So..." On impulse, she took Shin's face in her hands and kissed him on the lips most abruptly, causing Shin to flinch. In all their years together, they had never shared a kiss... not until now. However, he did not pull back, allowing the kiss to draw out longer. Rikka broke it off after a while, tears in her eyes.

"I love you, Shin. That's why I must do something unforgivable to you now."

Though still stunned from the close contact, Shin quickly pulled himself together. He was getting very uneasy. "What's happening? Why do I have a bad feeling?"

"I have to leave you. For good. Our relationship ends today, right here, right now."

"H-Huh?" Shin's body froze up, petrified by her sudden betrayal. "I-I'm not following this conversation..."

"Something will happen to you if you stay with me any longer, Shin!" said Rikka, filled with melancholic passion. "Please, fulfil my last wish and don't see me anymore. From now on, I am no one to you..." She took her hand away from his face, and as he tried to take it back, she stopped him. "If you really do love me, then you will respect my request and leave. It's for your own good."

Agitated, Shin tried to reason with her, though he kept his voice low. "Rikka, I do love you, and you know that, but I'm not about to leave you. You can't ask me to do something as outrageous as that, not right after you kissed me... Not right after our first kiss... Don't do this to me, please."

"You'll die if you stay with me! Please, for your own good..." cried Rikka. "I can't let you die..."

"Just explain everything to me, and we can work it out, okay?" he said urgently, though still managing to sound caring. "I won't let you go through whatever it is you're enduring right now alone. There's a reason why couples stay as couples - they work things out together, and we've always done that."

"I'm afraid this is one thing that cannot be solved. My fate has been sealed. In a few more hours, you will never see me again..." She bit her lower lip, hardening her will to utter the dreadful words. "And if that's not clear, then let me say this - I'm breaking up with you, Shin Kobayashi."

"How can you say that with such a straight face?" Shin wrapped his arms around her, as if that could shake her out of whatever state of mind she was in right now. "Rikka, what's wrong? Tell me, please! Don't shut me out like this!"

Nothing else he said after that reached her ears. She had carried out Homura's wish; in her mind, she heard the Demon's voice speaking to her: _"You really are like Sayaka Miki, selfless to a fault... I keep my end of the bargain - I won't kill him anymore."_ Broken up inside, Rikka sat there numbly as Shin hugged her, crying... Boys who could cry openly were the hardest types of boys to find. To be able to freely express oneself was what Rikka valued in a relationship, and she had found that in her time spent with Shin.

But it was all over now. The beautiful love between them was shattered by the shrewd Demon, never to be mended. A shadow passed over them and cloaked Shin within it. The next thing she knew, he pushed her away with a dazed look and exited her stall without so much as a goodbye.

Rikka Sayuki no longer existed in his life.

Silently thanking him for everything that he had ever done for her, Rikka let him leave, tears pouring down her cheeks. She did not wipe them away. Now, all that was left was to deal with her sister and Tera. And after that... She choked, looking at her poisoned, fragmented Soul Gem. It had endured a lot, and was near breaking point, bubbling with foul liveliness.

A foolish laugh escaped her. Very soon, she'd be able to let it all go. Very soon, she wouldn't even know herself anymore... Very, very soon, she'd be free from her mental torture. All she had to do was to endure another night, and it would be over. She only hoped that Tera would be strong enough to face what was going to come next for her...

 _"I'm sorry, Tera-chan."_ She finally wiped away her tears, hiding her face away with her blue curtain of hair. _"Forgive me for what I'm about to do to you..."_


	31. Chapter 29 : Bad News Abound

"Step on the gas, woman! We're fudgin' late!" screeched Tera, bouncing about on the backseat skittishly. The Wraith attack had kept them occupied for nearly thirty minutes, such was the persistence of the fiends' onslaught earlier that morning.

Shika reprimanded her with a warning stare. "Don't scream in the car. You'll distract the driver."

Eruna dragged Tera back down, pinching her hard and eliciting a yell from her. "Shut up," she said dispassionately.

"Thank you, Sayuki-san," grumbled Akira. "Now keep her mouth zipped until we reach the hospital. Kureha-chan, sit on top of Aido to stop her from shaking the car with her barbaric bounces."

"You bully - _oof!"_ Tera could not say anything else as Kureha had dutifully thrown herself onto her senior and curled atop her like a cat, grinning widely.

Once there, they made their way upstairs to the wards. "She should be on this floor," said Tera, looking at the direction plaques on the wall. As they were about to turn a corner which would lead them to the ward, they ran into a familiar face.

"Kobayashi-kun?" Eruna stopped him before he could be swept away with the crowd, grabbing him by the cuff of his sleeve. "Aren't you supposed to meet my sist-" Eruna's words died on her tongue when she looked into Shin's eyes.

He did not recognise her at all.

Giving her a look of mild surprise, he asked, "Who are you?"

Before Eruna could stop her, Kureha bounded up and gave Shin a surprise hug from behind, exclaiming, "Kobayashi-senpai is here! Let's go meet Rikka-senpai together!"

Shin almost toppled over from the hug, then glanced down to see a blonde girl hugging him around the waist with a grin on her face. "Excuse me, but... do I know you?" he said doubtfully, not wanting to start a scene.

Eruna prised a confounded Kureha off and took her to one side as Tera stalked up to Shin, poking him on the chest aggressively. "Hey you, bumface, don't play pretend with us. You know who we are, so quit it."

"I'm sorry, but you must have mistaken me for someone else," Shin replied awkwardly, taking a polite step backwards.

"Shin fudgin' Kobayashi, don't you mess around with me!" shouted Tera, shaking his shoulders. "Rikka Sayuki - doesn't that name mean anything to you?"

"I c-can't say that it does..." stammered the boy, wide-eyed with bewilderment. "Look, I think you've really mistaken me for someone else. I'm sorry, but I have to leave." He took her hands off and nodded quickly, then turned and walked away. Tera glared at him in disbelief.

"Are you frickin' kiddin' me?! Hoi, come back here!" She wanted to run after him, but Shika and Akira grabbed her arms, pulling her back.

"I have a feeling a certain Demon may have meddled with his memory," mumbled Akira, loud enough for only Shika and Tera to hear. "If he really is Rikka-san's boyfriend, then he'd never forget her, or deny ever knowing her, just like that."

Shika agreed. "I say we pay Rikka-san a visit right now and ask her what happened."

Tera slackened in their hold for a while, then shrugged them off crossly and tramped towards the ward, muttering darkly. "This Homura Akemi better not be messin' with Rikka or I'll make her wish she never met Tera the Tiger..." Kureha and Eruna hurried after her, looking flabbergasted.

"I'm not close with Rikka-san, and I may not know her as well as Tera-san, but one thing's for certain..." Akira had a faraway look in her eye. The silver flecks in her iris glittered under the bright white hospital light, and Shika watched them intently, knowing that her friend was thinking hard. "That girl is being bothered by something, and I don't think a panic attack was what brought her to the hospital."

"I agree that she's hiding something. I can tell because I saw it in those depthless eyes of hers. They may be deep, but they couldn't hide everything," replied Shika, thinking back on Rikka's actions at the meeting yesterday.

"True. Also, Tera-san told me that Rikka-san had gone berserk and attacked her. She was not herself. That is enough to surmise that she has been... _possessed_ , silly as that sounds. And the only person whom I think can do that-"

"-is Homura Akemi..."

Both girls went silent for a few seconds.

"We have to talk to her," said Akira, walking resolutely towards the ward. "Come on, Shika. I won't stand by to let Tera-san nor Rikka-san suffer because of some Demon with delusions of grandeur."

But try as she might, Akira could not get Rikka to divulge any information. The pretty girl dodged all her queries with clever manipulation, and Tera was just too happy to see Rikka again to spoil the joy with serious questions. Shin Kobayashi's mysterious denial of ever knowing them was spontaneously forgotten. Defeated for now, Akira finally let it slip, though one could tell that she was not about to give up.

Akira dropped the four musicians off at Rikka's house, then left with Shika, telling Tera to call if something cropped up. As they waved them goodbye, Tera gripped onto Rikka's hand tightly, her chest bursting with relief. She had really thought that Rikka would die. Eruna and Kureha entered the house first, saying that they would fix up some lunch, leaving the guitarist alone with her singer.

"Tera-chan, remember I wanted to talk to you about something in private?" started Rikka, not quite making eye contact with her. "Can we talk about it now, in my room?"

"Yeah, sure. I'd listen gladly. And here - you should use these to purify your Soul Gem before it blackens anymore." She took out a handful of the small, dark Grief Cubes from her pocket, pressing them into Rikka's palm. "Please feel better soon. I hate it when you're like this."

Rikka's slender fingers curled over them, and she smiled thinly, telling herself to throw them away later. "I'll be better soon, my little tiger. Thanks... for worrying about me."

"No need to. That's what I'm here for, to support ya when you need it." She beamed at her senior, causing Rikka's stomach to do a nasty flip.

No matter how matter times her brain agreed to carry out Homura's request to slay Tera, her heart could never allow her to execute it. She loved Tera too much to do it. Besides, her little tiger was vital in bringing about the downfall of the Demon. Setting her heart to the task ahead, Rikka steeled herself for any sudden loss of control over her mind and body. She did not want a repeat of yesterday happening all over again. This time, she would be ready to fight back.

"It's only been one day and I feel like ages have passed," remarked Tera, her hands behind her head as she looked into the sky. Rikka looked at her, registering the touch of sadness in her voice. "Funny how worryin' over someone you love causes time to draw out, huh?"

"Yeah... It feels like I've lived an eternity." Rikka hooked an arm over Tera's, feeling a bit comforted by the tiger girl's presence. Whenever she was near Tera, she felt like as if the younger girl were a warm water bottle, radiating gentle warmth and love. She hoped that this inner fire in her friend would never be extinguished. Tugging lightly at Tera's arm, she said, "Let's go inside... I'll tell you everything soon."

Shika groaned as she plopped herself into the worn-out sofa, staring first at Tera's keyboard, then at the waving treetops outside. The winds were eager to show their mettle today, whipping up the leaves and petals and forcing them to dance around in complicated swirls on the hot dusty road. She stared at her phone, noting the five missed calls she had received from Oriko.

It was not that she did not hear her phone ringing. She just let it ring without picking it up. Talking with the bossy Oriko was not something she looked forward to.

Akira seated herself on the opposite sofa, chin in hands and bent over, staring at the Shika's phone like she was daring it to ring again.

The small device began to vibrate, the ringtone blared out, and the screen flashed out Oriko's caller ID. Shika looked to Akira, displaying her phone screen to her. "Do I answer or not?"

"That Mikuni girl is not about to give up, isn't she?" sighed Akira, straightening up and pressing two fingers to her temple in exasperation. "Go on then, pick up the call and let's hear what she has to say. We did tell her that we're just a phone call away... I just hope it's not another vision of hers foreseeing the end of the world."

Shika pressed the button and put the receiver to her ear. She was met by a very impatient voice. "About time you picked up. I was about to make someone board the bus and get you over here if you didn't."

"I'm sorry, but I didn't bring my phone out with me. I wasn't home, you see," lied Shika, as Akira gave her a silent thumbs up. "So what is it, Mikuni-san? What is so important that you had to call me until I picked up?"

"It's about the warehouse raid." There was excitement in her usually refined voice. "The twins have most proficiently tailed the Demon constantly after the meeting was over, and until now, they are still at it. They told me earlier that Homura Akemi was seen talking to Kyubey, and she told him that she was going to stay put in her warehouse for tonight till next morning. I was thinking that during this duration, we could launch our ambush."

"You want to launch an ambush tonight?" said Shika incredulously. "Wait, let me talk to Akira about this." She glanced at Akira, covering the mouthpiece of her phone with one hand. "It's not another foresight of hers. Mikuni-san has gotten intel from the twins. They said that Homura would be in the warehouse from tonight until next morning, so if we were to set up an ambush, it would be anytime between this period."

Akira raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Ask her about her plans. I'm not rushing into anything."

Obliging, Shika put her ear back to the phone. "Hello, Mikuni-san? Akira wants to know about your exact plans, and so do I."

She heard a laugh from down the receiver. "Hah, I already have a plan brewed up. The twins have scouted the area around the warehouse. It's mainly deserted, and filled with junk. As for the warehouse itself, it's not really large, just one big room of her time-themed trinkets, and two side rooms, one which I believe to be her bedroom. There's plenty of space to hide about and sneak uphill. We attack in the middle of the night, when she's asleep. The darkness would give us extra cover as we make our way there. We circle the building with our forces and then enter together, surrounding her in a pincer attack. She would have no escape with everyone in the way. With thirteen of us, it'd take a miracle for her to escape with her life. I know, she has her minions and all, but we should be able to handle it. I think it is simple and fail-proof."

Shika related it to Akira, who shook her head at Oriko's blind haughtiness. "Here, gimme your phone, I'll talk with her. She's underestimating the foe." She leaned over and took the phone from Shika, pressing it to her ear with a stormy look on her face.

"Mikuni-san, Akira Oda speaking here. I've heard your plan, but don't you think you're looking down on Homura Akemi's abilities? I doubt a simple pincer attack like that would finish her off for good. Besides, she'd probably have sentries around the area at night to tip off intruders. They'd sense us and alert their master straightaway, and where would that leave us? The interior of the warehouse may look small, but it may just be an illusion. Also, have you thought about the possibility of facing Witches or Wraiths along with her personal minions, as well as herself? She is proficient at the bow, she has an army of birds and dolls to protect her, not to mention a stock of Grief Seeds which she'd undoubtedly hatch upon us the moment we step foot into that warehouse. We'd be overpowered in mere seconds."

"Don't you understand the point of an ambush?" grumbled Oriko, not listening to Akira's arguments. "We take her by _surprise_ ; she'd never be able to respond quickly enough, not with Kirika around. Her magic can slow down enemies, and before she knows it, she'll have claws, spear, guns and swords pointed at her throat. She wouldn't even have time to call for help."

"A very good point you've brought up there," snorted Akira. "Kure-san's arm is still broken, is it not? How do you expect her to fight in that condition? And by the sounds of it, it seems as if she's pivotal in bringing about the success of this mission - without Kirika Kure, we'd be too slow. Explain, please."

"Kirika would do anything that I tell her to, regardless of her own injuries," said Oriko levelly. "I expect no less from her, not when the fate of the world and the Puella Magi lie in the hands of some crazed Demon who needs to be killed. She'll die if I tell her to."

"So are you saying that you would sacrifice the life of your friend just to kill Homura Akemi?" retorted Akira in disgust. "What kind of person _are_ you?"

"Yes, I would sacrifice a friend if it means saving the Puella Magi from the Demon," replied Oriko, betraying no hint of shame at her own words. "I am the daughter of a politician. What kind of people do you think we are?"

"You're lower than a jellyfish, Oriko Mikuni," growled Akira, trembling with rage. "I have never met such a heinous person as you. I'm done with you. Don't bother calling back!" She jabbed the end call button before Oriko had a chance to reply, and tossed the phone back to Shika. She caught it expertly, saying with a saturnine mien, "That was a pretty abrupt ending. I heard everything - fancy sacrificing a friend just to kill Homura Akemi... But why lower than a _jellyfish_?" Shika wrinkled her nose in confusion.

Akira huffed. "Don't mean to be rude to the innocent cnidarians, but they don't have brains or hearts - just like Oriko Mikuni."

"I see. Very smart of you to come up with that," said Shika drolly. "I knew they didn't have a heart or brains, but I never thought of calling someone that…"

"Of course you didn't. You're far too nice to do that, unlike me. I'm a fiend in the skin of a human, my dear," grinned the girl, flipping her long white hair dramatically. Her bad mood had evaporated instantaneously upon Oriko's departure. "Though, I think I would have to relinquish that title to Tera-san now... She's the child of a devil."

Shika cracked a smiled, punching Akira on her shoulder in a friendly manner. "I like to call you and Tera-san the Disgruntled Duo. You guys argue way too much, but it's amusing to watch since it's all in good humour and she never gets your terribly blunt sarcasm."

"Is that a compliment or an insult, Shika dear?" purred Akira, narrowing her eye evilly at Shika. "I don't take to insults lightly, and you know that."

The green-haired girl shrugged, hiding a smirk. "You know I never insult you. At least not on purpose. Which means I _do_ insult you from time to time when I feel like it."

"You cheeky deer, I'm gonna teach you a lesson. Hah!" Akira pounced on Shika with a big grin and was about to tickle her to death when the phone rang again. Shika swiped it up and looked at the screen, and her face fell. "It's Mikuni-san. She's calling again. "

Akira took the phone from her and straightened herself, picking up the call. Her voice was calm and composed, though one could hear a winter storm howling behind it. "Hello, Mikuni-san. What is it this time?"

"I have not yet gotten a confirmation from you about the warehouse raid," said Oriko without so much as a greeting. "I expect you and the Kazaminoans to be here at four in the morning, when the sky is still dark. Travel quick and light, and meet up at the Central Park here, in the empty space near the entrance. From there, we'll have you drive us as near we can to the warehouse, and we shall commence the ambush."

A billowing cloud of dark electricity passed over Akira's face. "First, I have never agreed to do anything spawned from your wild ideas. Second, Kure-san is still hurt and I refuse to put her life at risk. Third, the other Puella Magi here are recovering from a shocking experience, and I don't want to expose them to something which may make them feel worse. Fourth, Shika and I think your plan is too flawed and needs proper rethinking. It's literal suicide to barge in and attack her. Fifth, there is another possibility that Homura Akemi has detected the twins spying on her, and deliberately set up an ambush for us. How would you respond then?"

" _Quiet, you!_ " snarled Oriko down the phone, her voice thrumming like a chainsaw. Akira recoiled slightly at the loud volume, while Shika cringed next to her. "I won't have you criticizing my plans like that... Acting like a smart girl... Every time I come up with something, you'd think of a counterargument and make me look bad! For once, can you lock away that brain of yours and just _listen_ to me?"

" _Excuse me_ , I am only stating the truth! If you don't want to hear my opinions, then _don't_ call us!" yelled Akira hotly.

"I have no choice but to call because I need your help, but not in the planning department, _don't you understand_?" shouted Oriko back. She sounded extremely angry and insulted.

"The way you put it, it sounds as if we're mere cannon fodder for you to use in your grand scheme. What are we to you? Are we your comrades, or your _slaves_ , scrabbling around to do your bidding? We can give our opinions too; you're not the one in charge, we're a team, and a team works together. I'm not about to be killed in this fool's plan to attack Homura Akemi. Unless you rethink it and tell us a better version of what I heard just now, you're not getting any help from us."

"You will regret speaking like that to me, Oda-san. I don't care what you have to say about it, I just want you and the rest of the Kazaminoans to be over here at four in the morning-"

"I am _done_ with your imperious orders! _Good day_!" hissed Akira, about to jam her finger onto the end-call button.

Shika stopped her abruptly, giving her friend a serious look. "Let me talk to her first," she said coolly. "I have something to tell her." Hesitating as Oriko's voice continued to pour out of the phone in hurt indignance, Akira finally handed over the phone. Shika took it and was almost deafened by a strident screech. "- _will come over, and that's that!_ "

Closing her eyes in distaste, Shika said steadily, "Mikuni-san, Shika Kiyomizu speaking. I need to tell you something which bears utmost importance. You should listen and not interrupt me while I tell you about it, understand?" For someone who was so timid, Shika sounded uncharacteristically commanding.

There was no reply from the other side, but the call was still going on. Shika took it that Oriko was willing to listen. "I had wanted to tell you about this during our meeting, but it slipped my mind. The Incubators... they have a prophecy, and that prophecy concerns three Puella Magi and the Demon, as well as the Goddess herself. These Puella Magi are called the Elementals, as they have the ability to bend the elements to their will. It is said that only the Elementals can kill the Demon and bring the Goddess back. If any other Magi were to try, she would fail."

"And the point here is?" questioned Oriko. "Who are these Elementals anyway? If we were to wait for them to appear and handle this Demon, we may as well be waiting for snow in summer. It'd be too late. We cannot wait for them. Besides, how sure are you that the Incubator wasn't just telling you a high tale? These... _Elementals_ may be just fiction."

"I am sure because..." Shika paused, unsure of how much she should reveal to Oriko. Akira gave her a nudge, as if to say, 'go ahead and tell her'. Encouraged, Shika took a deep breath and said "...Because I am one of the Elementals."

"Huh?" The surprise in Oriko's voice was evident. "Are you trying to play a trick on me?"

"I'm serious. The other two Elementals are Akira and Tera-san. If you are not convinced, then let me tell you this as well. We have fought Homura once, and she is no easy opponent. She uses wit rather than brawn, and never throws herself into the main fray. She escapes before we can attack her, and leaves her minions behind to hold us back. She may seem like a difficult opponent, but there is a fatal flaw in her - she cannot hurt the three of us, for a reason unknown. We, however, can hurt her freely. You can say that we are immune to her attacks, but not her minions."

"I am finding this rather hard to digest, Kiyomizu-san..." Oriko was quiet for a few moments, then she said, "Alright, I'll believe in your tale. But tell me, what is the point of you telling me this? We are still going to launch the ambush tomorrow, are we not?"

"No, you are not launching any ambush," replied Shika firmly. "The point here is this: You will not lead any of your friends into mindless death tomorrow. You won't be able to kill Homura; trust me when I say this. She would be prepared for your attack, even if she were taken by surprise. She'd probably just escape after setting a group of Witches on you. Leave her to us. As the Elementals in the prophecy, it's our responsibility to take her down, and not anyone else's. I do not want anyone to die trying to kill the Demon, when the task rightfully lies on our shoulders. If anyone were to be sacrificed in bringing her reign to a grinding halt, it would be the three of us, and no one else."

"Trying to get all the glory for yourself now, are you?" Oriko was not pleased with what she had heard. "Don't make yourself sound so high and mighty, talking about responsibility and sacrifice. I know you just want to have all the credit of killing the Demon to yourself, right?"

"W-Wha-?" Shika was stunned. "No, I didn't mean anything like that! Mikuni-san, you're getting it the wrong way. I just don't want aimless slaughter when lives could be saved-"

"Enough from you, Kiyomizu-san. I will prove to you that we don't need _Elementals_ to finish the job. We _normals_ , yeah, that's what we are, _normal_ , will take care of the Demon and show you that we are perfectly capable of holding out on our own too." There was a disdainful huff, and the call ended very abruptly.

"Mikuni-san? Hey, wh- She hung up on me!" Shika was about to redial her number, but Akira placed a hand on the phone, saying coldly, "It's useless. She won't listen. She's too stubborn for her own good, but to think she's going to lead others to their deaths... It would all be in vain. We have to stop them before they do something extremely stupid."

Shika indicated her agreement with a sharp nod. "We have to intercept them before they enter the warehouse grounds... Looks like we'll be taking a trip to Mitakihara again, won't we, Akira?"

"Right, Shika dear. Tera-san won't be too eager about waking up at three in the morning though. It takes an hour to get there."

"Can't be helped. We have to stop them."

The two friends gave each other resolve-filled glances. Even though no words were passed between them, they silently agreed that after this fiasco was over, they would deal with Oriko Mikuni.

As the afternoon lengthened to eventide, the sun played across the vista, splashing brilliant gold and vibrant pink atop the many buildings and residents of Kazamino City. Late birdsong ushered in the first stars, blinking faintly in the light-polluted skies as people and beasts alike began to retire to their homes. It was time for relaxation, to sit back and enjoy life with friends and family, but for Akira, it was not the case.

Pacing agitatedly, she sought to hold her tongue back as her parents admonished her through the phone, biting on the inside of her cheek.

"Mom, dad, look, I'm not running away from home," sighed Akira, incensed. "I did leave a note clarifying my absence. My friend is in a difficult situation right now and I need to be with her-"

"How many times do we have to tell you to _stay away_ from that girl?" burst out her mother, ignoring her daughter's explanation. "She brings you nothing but trouble! Oh, we know all about you using your own money to pay her rent and buy her food. Who do you think you are to her? Her _mother_? _Guardian_? That orphan can look after herself without you interfering!"

Akira flinched at her mother's insensitivity. Thank goodness Shika was out on an evening walk with Yuki. It wouldn't do to have her here, witnessing the unpleasant conversation. "She doesn't ask for money or my help, okay? I just help her out whenever she needs it, and it's entirely on my behalf. So don't go around accusing her of using my money-"

"Listen, Akira, we're just worried about you being friends with her," came her father's stern voice, cutting off her sentence. "And fine, she doesn't ask you for anything, but the fact remains that you're using _our_ money on her, and that I cannot accept. She's poor, she has no friends, and she treats a dog like a human. She's not right in the head, I tell you. Leave her alone for your own sake. She'll only be a bad influence on you, she and that mangy dog of hers."

"Your father is right. Ever since you befriended her, you've become stubborn and unwilling to comply with our requests. If being with her turns you into a rebel, then you have to stay away from her."

"Yes, Akira. We know what's best for you. We're your parents, and you should always listen to our advice. That girl won't do anything for you but pollute your mind and cause you harm. She's not worth your time and money; she's just a vagrant that's causing you to deviate from your true aims in life. The pathetic girl can go beg another person to look after her, because that's what she's doing to you now, unconsciously. You pity her, don't you? You were always too kind to others."

"As an Oda descendant, we have no time to pity others. We have to harden our hearts and battle onwards, like our forefathers before us."

"You hear that, Akira? Stop pitying the disgraceful girl and start growing up. You've been naught but a child so far, with your childish tempers and immature actions, and it's Kiyomizu's fault. She's a disease on you, a virus, a _plague_. I won't have her despoiling you any further with her devilish ways."

Enough was enough for Akira. She had been chewing on her lip as she listened to them degrade her best friend, but her father's last statement was the end of the line. She snapped.

"Don't you dare talk about her like that!" she shouted vehemently, frost forming on the tips of her fingers and freezing the grass beneath her feet. They crackled, withered and shattered into tiny pieces. "She's my best friend, and there's nothing the two of you can say to change that! You both are so inconsiderate and cold-hearted – do you expect your daughter to be like that too? No! I shall not fall into that pit that you did – looking down on the unfortunate and squandering your wealth and fame, bossing people around like tools and forcing them to your bidding. All because you have the power to, and power makes one go mad! I shall help her and continue to be with her if that's the last thing I do!"

"You're being irrational, we're not like that at all. And, dear Lord!" said her mother heatedly. "Why are you spending all your time and resources on this- this useless _friend_ of yours when you could've been spending time getting to know your fiancé? You're getting married with him once you reach twenty, and you know that. Do not shirk your duty to the Oda bloodline. You are the only heir, and it's imperative you maintain the family name. Oh, I know all about you being uninterested in men as of now, but you're a grown-up already. Face reality and accept the fact that you're going to get married and leave your friends one day soon. Do you understand that, Akira? The sooner you forget about that destitute girl, the faster you'd come to terms with reality."

Fuming, Akira felt like tossing the phone onto the floor and stabbing it with her rapier. Unable to keep her temper in check, she yelled furiously, "If you call her 'destitute' or 'useless' one more time, I'm going to curse at you. Don't think I don't dare! And as for that idiot Ishida, I will _not_ marry him! I hate him with every fibre of my being and I detest even the sight or sound of him. You cannot make me marry him! Why can't I find someone on my own-"

"That is out of the question!" bellowed her father. "We can't have you marrying someone that is not of the samurai heritage. We must not dirty it with impure blood. What must I say to get that fact into your obliviously thick skull?"

" _Nothing!_ You don't have to say a damn thing because I already know- _bloody_ _hell_! I'm not stupid, you know? And if you think I am, then how am I the Head Girl and always coming out top in – I don't know – _every single fricking subject_ in my form?! How on earth did I manage to master five instruments if I have an obliviously thick skull, huh? Tell me!"

"Akira…" warned her mother.

But the warning fell on deaf ears. Riled up terribly, Akira continued her tirade. "I know about my duty, I know about my family name, I know about _every stupid thing_ that I need to do, okay?! So stop harassing me about them. I will do it, even if I detest it, but the one thing I can't accept is the marriage. I hate him, you hear me? _Hate_! It's a strong word, and I don't use it unless I mean it."

"Then who do you love?" challenged her mother. "Tell us who you love, and we'll see if he's worthy to be married into the Oda clan."

"I don't love any man now, sorry to disappoint. No one has managed to steal my heart just yet," growled Akira. "But there's one person in this world right now that I love more than anyone else, and that's Shika Kiyomizu. She's my most precious friend and _no one's_ going to take her away from me!"

"Are you saying you love that low-life more than you love your parents?" her mother barked.

"Yes! I'm saying that, because truth to be told, the both of you are just like strangers to me. You don't understand a single thing about me and you pretend to care when actually you _don't_. All you've done is scarred me and beat me and disciplined me, then used me like some show dog, bragging and boasting about my abilities. Who raised me up? You two? _No_! It was the nursemaids, and they did a better job than you at it. Now, the only person that truly is there for me, no matter what, is Shika, not you both. So don't order me around, you fricking bastards, cause I've had _enough_!"

" _Don't shout or curse at us, young lady_!" thundered her father, choking from emotion. "We did not teach you to be an ungrateful wretch! You have tested our patience too much… obey us and come back home _right now_ , or we'll personally come over to your _friend's_ house and throw her into juvenile jail for ruining your future! Only then, would you finally be separated from her…"

The statement struck Akira like red-hot steel upon flesh. It took her a few moments to respond, stammering slightly. "Y-You won't do that…"

"Try me," he snarled, and the line went dead. Akira stared at her phone screen in utmost horror. No… horror wouldn't even describe what she was feeling. She was a mess of dread, terror, distress, disgust, repulsion, shock… all churned together in her chest, threatening to explode.

They must have been joking. There was no way they'd do that to a person just because they came in the way of their daughter's future. But knowing her parents, their threats were not to be taken lightly. Furthermore, they had all the power in their hands to do exactly that – land Shika in jail without any solid proof of her ever committing any offence. She slipped her phone into her pocket, staring around wildly, at a total loss about what she should do next.

"Akira…?" On normal days, that muted, sotto voce voice would have been a welcome respite in the midst of her troubles, but now, she did not want to hear it at all.

Jarred, with all the blood drained from her in an instant, Akira did not turn to face the direction of the speaker. Instead, she let out a shaky quaver of an inquiry, "How much did you hear?"

There was a short silence. "… Everything. I could hear what your parents said. They spoke really… loudly."

"God…" Akira pressed two fingers to the area between her eyes, her face twisting up with the effort to not burst into tears. "I-I'm sorry… I'm sorry I couldn't protect you from them…"

A small cry came from behind her, followed by a pair of arms which enveloped her in a gentle hug. Akira gritted her teeth hard, trying in vain to stop the tears that were already coursing their way down her cheeks. Her body shuddered as sobs racked her, each painful breath drawn in making her feel like she was drowning.

"You don't have to apologise… You did nothing wrong, Akira." She could feel her friend's head resting between her shoulder blades, feel her steady breathing and rapid heartbeat, her arms circled around her waist. But most of all, she could feel her presence melding with her own, becoming one as they both faced the anguish together.

"Shika…" Akira sobbed out in strangulation, putting a hand on her friend's arm. Unable to keep it in any longer, she turned around and embraced the green-eyed girl tightly, burying her face into Shika's shoulder, crying, dispirited, crushed. She usually took her parents' criticism stoically, but now, she could no longer take it. There was no one else Akira could trust with her raw, ugly emotions but Shika. Only with the mild, green-haired girl could she be vulnerable with.

Nothing was said, nothing was exchanged. Shika simply stood there and hugged her friend, tears running down either side of her face as she was forced to witness Akira's broken spirit. Seeing her like this, under constant pressure from her parents… It sometimes made Shika wonder if she had been lucky to be an orphan. While she did lack the love and care that she should have gotten if her parents were still alive, she got in return freedom of choice to do as she pleased, something that Akira did not have.

She felt a dark seed plant itself in her heart, a seed of dangerous emotions that threatened to hurt anyone that brought distress to her best friend.

"Akira," said Shika after a while, keeping her voice as level as she could. "I know you don't want to, but you have to go home tonight. Please. Your parents' rage will kill you emotionally if you defy them anymore."

There was no response.

"I'm not good at emotional situations; all my feelings have already been destroyed long ago... I just don't want to see you turning into someone like me – a monster with no real heart, no real emotions. I've lived on fake and empty lies, pretending to be someone called Shika Kiyomizu, when in reality, there's no one inside of this shell." She shifted uncomfortably, knowing well enough that she was opening up the box that was locked away so carefully, hiding away her experience eight months ago. "I told you that I had died. I am not lying. I have died physically, as well as emotionally due to the One Month… But that will not stop me from preventing the same from happening to you. I will not let you die inside… because I love you too. That's the only real thing I can feel these days. Our friendship is the only thing that's keeping me going. So Akira… please, go home and see your parents, if only to reassure them."

"I d-don't want to…" came Akira's muffled whisper. "I hate them. They h-hate me. Nobody wants me there… Nobody."

Shika bit her lip, tasting salt from her own tears. "Be that as it may, if you don't go home… They'd do much more worse than throw me in jail. I don't care what happens to me, I can handle it, but you… I'm worried about you. You're breaking up inside. You crave your parents' love, but you're not getting it. You want their approval, you want to see proud smiles on their faces, but you don't receive any. You want to be with someone you truly love, but you can't because of the family name. All you want is unconditional love from your parents, nothing more. You actually do love them even if you say you hate them, but you don't want to admit it because even if you do, you feel that nothing will come out of it. It's making you bitter... It's _destroying_ you." Her voice cracked on the last sentence, and she tightened her hug.

"Don't kill yourself, Akira."

The older girl stiffened, the truth of Shika's words sinking in to her grief-dulled brain. She fought with her inner-self that told her to ignore Shika's words and her parents' threats – they would surely bring her no good in the end. But her heart ultimately won over her stubborn, pessimistic logic.

As Shika had said, all she wanted was for her parents to love her. All throughout her years as a child, she had never known what it was like to be loved, and it resulted in her feeling detached from her family. She grew up a lonely person, not making many friends due to her aloofness. Every night, she would cry by herself in her room; she would touch the scar on her face and hope that the milky orb that used to be her eye would get better one day. She grew up with virulent, suppressed hate for her parents, but never stopped yearning for their love.

It was a painful contradiction. But maybe it was time to forget about the past and start over.

It was worth the shot.

"I'll go." Her whisper was barely audible, but Shika's sharp ears caught it on the breeze. "I promise I won't die inside. In return, you have to tell me everything once I come back… Alright, Shika dear?"

"I promise, Akira."

"I'm happy to hear that…"

The sky had darkened into a deep violet, the sun being quickly swallowed up by the horizon. Shika stood at the gates with Yuki whining at her heels, the both of them watching Akira drive away. Before she left, however, Akira told her that the plan to stop Oriko and the others into attacking the warehouse was still on. She would sneak out and drive over to pick them up at three, if things went smoothly. If she were to call concerning her failure to leave her house, Shika and Tera were to ride Yuki there, starting out at two in the morning.

Shika gave vent to a long sigh. The Earth Elemental hoped, with all her heart, that things would go well for her friend.

Tera could not bring herself to believe in what she had heard and seen from Rikka. Even now, as she walked alone on the near-deserted street leading to Shika's house, her mind was still racing from the event, which had ended tersely due to unforeseen circumstances.

 _"The Demon is hell-bent on killing you," Rikka had said. "She's using me to achieve that. I implore you, run away from me while you can. I'm not sure how long more I can keep myself sane… All those times where you saw me hesitating, looking guilty and scared… it was because I had a dagger in my hand that was supposed to lodge itself in your heart. I couldn't do that. I love you too much. But… I'm afraid I'm reaching my limit."_

 _She looked up, and Tera recoiled at the blackness in her eyes. Reflexively, the tiger turned away before those sinister orbs could paralyse her. She felt the tip of a dagger press on her throat, piercing the skin lightly and causing a rivulet of blood to dribble down her neck. She swallowed, not daring to move from her spot when Rikka was being highly unpredictable._

 _"Run away, Tera-chan. Run! Hurry, before I lose control again!" she cried in agony, her other hand yanking at the dagger hand as if to pull it back. "I haven't told you everything yet… I-I don't want to kill you… God, how can you be so cruel? Damn you, Homura Akemi…! Run away, Tera-chan! Run away!"_

 _And run away she did. Without a backwards glance, she hurtled out of the room, grabbed Eruna and Kureha with her and bolted down the street with them. Their pounding footsteps faded into the quiet evening as they slipped around and hid in an alley. The two girls, flabbergasted by the sudden run, demanded an explanation, but Tera could only manage a weak mew. She touched the nicked area on her neck gingerly, not wanting to believe that Rikka had almost slit her throat._

 _"Your sister… nearly killed me again," she said to Eruna flatly. There were dismayed cries from Kureha, who insisted they return to Rikka at once. Tera shook her head feebly, saying, "No. I'm not goin' back. Rikka told me to run from her. And I'm not fully sure why yet, but I will run… for now. You two, wait here for around ten minutes before goin' back so that she gets some time to calm the frick down. If she's gettin' to be uncontrollable, call me at once and I'll bring Akira-senpai and Shika-senpai over. Tell Rikka I'm not done with her yet, Eruna. I'll get to the bottom of this shit if my name ain't Tera Aido."_

By the time she had reached Shika's house, the night was upon her. Thankfully, she had received no phone call from her two friends, so she assumed all was well. In the poorly-lit housing area, stars were in abundance, their shine unhindered by the light pollution that flooded the main city areas. She jangled the metal gates to indicate her presence, opened them and entered, wanting to slam them behind her but was afraid the ancient gates would fall off their hinges.

"I'm baaack! Senpai, you in?" she called, walking to the main entrance. It creaked open, revealing a dull-eyed Shika. Then again, since when did Shika not look dull-eyed?

"Tera-san, your neck…" said Shika slowly, noticing the blood right away. "What hap-"

"Rikka almost killed me again," she said in a low voice, looking down on the wooden floorboards. "But she told me to run before she could… So I ran away from her."

Seeing that Tera was shaken, Shika led her in and sat her on the sofa, giving her a glass of water. "Drink up. Tell me what happened," she said, concerned. First, it was Akira, now it was Tera. She wasn't sure if she could handle Tera the way she did with Akira, because Tera was a completely different case, with a different personality. However, one thing remained the same – they were both deeply injured by someone they loved.

Tera rubbed at her eyes, as if she were tired. "After you dropped me off at her house, she had a talk with me. It started out normal enough, we were just chattin' about random stuff even though she said she wanted to tell me something important. It was like she was avoidin' it, so I didn't ask her. We all had lunch together, then we went to the park for a while. She still refused to tell me. When we went back, she took me to her room and says in this scary voice, 'I'm ready to talk.' So I sit next to her and she starts with Homura Akemi, of all the freakin' rainbow ponies, and tells me that she's being used by her. Like, have you ever heard of such crap?"

She glared at Shika, challenging her to reply, but Shika wisely kept her mouth shut. Tera continued. "So, she says to me, the Demon was takin' advantage of her being my close friend, so that she may stick a dagger in me and kill me easily since Homura Akemi's unable to kill us and all. She told me she wasn't able to do it, to kill me – obviously!" Tera seemed flustered, puffing out her cheeks while her eyes started to water. "But- But to think she actually did try to kill me... Do I not know Rikka as well as I thought I did…? Nonetheless! Whatever bullshit happens next, she told me that I had to handle it, that she trusted in my abilities. She wanted to send Eruna away overseas to protect her from the Demon, and Shin… she broke up with him to get him away from the Demon as well - Homura erased his memories of her, that's why he didn't bally recognise us when we met him... That asshole Demon is so gonna pay!" Grinding her fanged teeth, Tera stood up sharply and stomped over to her keyboard, plonking a hand on it violently and sending discorded notes ringing in the air.

"And the worse part," she hissed, her fingers resting atop the ivory-coloured keys, "-was that I couldn't do a single fudgin' thing to help her. I _ran away_. I ran away like a dastardly _coward_!"

Yuki, who had been sitting in a corner, now approached Tera cautiously, whining. She licked the tiger's fingers, nuzzling her head into her hand. Tera looked down at the Shiba Inu's warm brown gaze, tears glimmering in her eyes. "Yuki…" She ruffled the dog's headfur, sniffing audibly.

"Tera-san, I know you're going through a lot now, but being angry won't help with anything," said Shika carefully, coming over to Tera's side. Tera wiped away her tears defiantly, pouting and crossing her arms, refusing to look at Shika.

"Y-You don't know what I had to go through eight months ago. I feel frickin' useless, unable to do a thing about it. She's gonna die again if I don't do anythin' to help her." Her lower lip quivered, then in an attempt to change the topic, she said airily, "W-Where's Akira-senpai by the way? Sleepin' so soon?"

Shika shook her head, unabashed. "No, she's gone back home for the night. Family matters. Back to you, tell me more about Rikka-san. What do you mean by 'she's going to die again'?"

"I swear you're exactly like Eruna when you're like that," moaned Tera. "I've told Akira-senpai about it… Ask her if you want to find out. I don't feel like talkin' about it now." She gave Yuki a final pat, then turned on her heels and strode into the little garden, muttering fiercely. Shika motioned with her eyes to Yuki, urging her to follow the girl. The obedient dog complied, wagging her tail as she trotted along next to Tera. The young girl would need some reassurance, and the only way to give it to her was through Yuki's warm presence.

The clock's hands ticked closer and closer to ten that night. Tera was at her keyboard, playing the song 'Sayonara no Koto', humming the melody to herself. She had calmed down considerably after spending some time alone with the Shiba Inu. Meanwhile, Shika was at the kitchen table, chewing on a pencil tip as she tried to solve a maths equation that was part of her summer homework. Yuki was contentedly curled at her feet, enjoying the beautiful music flowing from Tera's fingertips.

Whenever she played this song, Rikka would always accompany her as the vocalist, her silvery voice perfect for the melancholic lyrics. Without her here, singing along, Tera felt empty. She knew she was losing Rikka, but she refused to let the thought blight her. She focused on the keys, tapping them lightly and precisely, giving sound to crisp pleasant notes which belied the sad meaning behind the song.

A lilting, accented voice floated in through the window, singing along with her playing. She smiled dreamily as her hands flew across the keyboard, thinking about how closely it resembled Rikka's…

With a crazed leap, she crashed to the window and leaned out, seeing a silhouette standing at the gate. Shika jumped at the sudden noise, yelping involuntarily. She was about to run over to Tera when the girl hopped onto the windowsill and vaulted onto the lawn, a hoarse cry ripping from her throat.

"Rikka!"

"R-Rikka?" sputtered Shika, confused. She hesitated a bit where she stood, turning a full circle in bewilderment, then hurried to the door and yanked it open, scanning the garden for Tera. She wasn't there. Her eyes darted to the gate.

It was half open, swinging and creaking with the wind.

"Damn, she's fast…" murmured Shika. "Yuki, come on, we have to find them." The dog bounded over, putting her nose to the ground as she began to sniff around. Shika followed her to the gate, looked to her left and right, but the streets were empty.

"This way!" barked Yuki, thrusting her muzzle towards the forest in front. "They've entered the woods. It's dangerous at night in there, with snakes and all!"

The pair dashed off, with Yuki in the lead, straight into the unknown dangers that lurked within the heavy foliage. Little did they know, snakes were going to be the least of their problems…


	32. Chapter 30 : The End

It was unbearably dark inside the leafy glooms, the heavy foliage blocking out whatever light that was coming in from the outside. Tera stepped about nervously, her eyes straining to catch a glimpse of Rikka through the soft amber glow of her Soul Gem. The blue-haired girl had took to the woods upon seeing her friend run after her, and like a fool, Tera had followed her blindly.

Fear crept up to her, its spindly fingers caressing her thumping heart. At night, the forest looked different to when it was day. Heavy shadows pressed in everywhere; a slight rustle of leaves was enough to trigger a defensive stance; owls and nightjars called to each other, whispering their secrets to the stygian darkness. Tera hardly dared to breathe. She had never been in the forest during night-time, and she did not like the sensation of being lost and alone at all.

"Rikka? Where are you?" she called out softly, feeling hushed by the vastness of the murky woodlands. Her hands were tensely stretched in front of her, feeling for tree trunks and tall bushes so that she wouldn't crash into them and set up a din. As her fingers brushed across some spiky leaves, a small creature ran up her arm, and she shook it off with barely-contained fear, stifling a yell.

"Stupid spider!" she whisper-hissed, trembling from the shock. Shaking her head quickly, she pressed on. She couldn't let herself be bothered by a spider, not when Rikka could be in danger.

Each snap of a twig underfoot; the crunch of dead leaves from a misplaced step, made her heart jump. She tried calling for Rikka again, but this time, her voice was smaller, more timid, more scared. Where could she have gotten to in such a short space of time? She was right behind her when they entered the forest, but now, she was gone.

Perplexed and terrified, Tera could no longer tell which way was which, and how long she had been stumbling around. She could have been walking in circles for all she knew, but one thing was sure – she was deep within the confines of this dark place. Even if she shouted for help, no one would hear her. The stress of knowing that Rikka could be dead as she tramped around, as well as the unfamiliar sounds and sights of the night-shrouded woodland, was getting the better of Tera. Her breathing quickened; she yelped when something shot across her path, the passing breeze blasting onto her face.

Her fingers flew to her cheek in alarm, coming off red; that 'something' had cut her when it appeared, and it did not seem like an accident.

"Who's there?" she cried, her hands transforming into her claws out of panic. Somehow, she managed to tell herself to not set them on fire, for that would betray her location to the enemy. However, she forgot that she should have remained mute. "Show yerself!" Jerking her head this way and that, Tera tried to pick out her assailant, making a lot of noise as she did. "If you're the fudgin' Demon disguised as Rikka, then this ain't funny! Quit hidin' and face me!"

As a reply, a black dagger flew from between the trees and caught her through her shirt sleeve, grazing her skin. Yelping in alarm, Tera stumbled back a few paces. Quickly gathering herself together again, she bellowed out, "H-Hah! Y-Ya missed me! Look where you toss that bone picker next time, buffer!" Although she sounded confident, she was internally shaking in her stripes.

Besides, Homura used a bow and arrows, and not daggers... right?

An ominous, humming sound pierced the silent depths of the night as another dagger whizzed by her head, barely missing it. She immediately dropped into a crouch and rolled out of the way, right into a bed of ferns. "Damn! Stupid plants!" she yowled, scratching them away. Two daggers whooshed into the loam, lodging themselves up to the hilt a hairsbreadth away from her foot. Scrabbling up awkwardly, she dodged an overhanging branch and leapt behind a large tree just as a fourth dagger struck the trunk.

"You shouldn't have walked around with your Soul Gem alight. It gave your position away," came a low, lilting voice that was horrifically familiar. "And I advise you to stop shouting. It makes it easier for me to pinpoint where you are."

Tera's claws dug into the tree behind her. Her mouth became very dry, and she felt as if her knees would give away beneath her.

"It'll be over very soon. I'll make your death quick. Just come out and surrender, and you won't even feel the pain, my little tiger." The unmistakeable accent was betraying her true identity.

Pushing her back hard against the tree, she fought to regulate her breathing. " _It's a lie... a trick... No way it's her..._ " Tera uttered the words like a person would on his deathbed, her face paling and her limbs shaking.

"You know it's me, don't deny it," she mocked. "I'm not attacking you yet. I'm giving you a chance to escape, just like I did before at my house. Hunting moving prey always makes the kill more satisfying... Isn't that right, _Tera-chan_?"

Despair clutched at Tera's heart; there was no use in denying it anymore.

Screaming like a beast, she hurled herself away from the trunk and did a swift about-turn, her claws spread apart. "You said it yerself, you shouldn't talk, cause it just gave your position away, _Rikka_!" The name of her best friend was spoken in a cross between a snarl and a high-pitched whine. Tackling the figure who was short of five feet away from the tree, she brought them both to the ground with a crash. Her strong arms pinned the Assassin below her, and she shoved her sharp claws into the soil to give herself a better grounding.

Bucking and kicking savagely, Rikka tried to free her arms, but they were sinking into the loam from the force that Tera was exerting upon them. Screeching like a harpy, she did the only thing she could do. She brought her knee into Tera's stomach with a maddened power, causing the tiger to arch her back in agony. However, her hold on Rikka stayed fast due to the embedded claws. Repeatedly, Rikka lashed out at Tera with her legs in a fevered desperation to escape, screaming all the time. With no space to manoeuvre and avoid the hits, Tera endured each kick with a painful yell and watering eyes.

"Rikka! _Stop-!_ What-! Happened-! To you-?!" Each word was accentuated by the horrific blow she received. "Please-! Stop this-! _Ooff_!" The last kick was aimed at her chest, driving all the wind from her. She coughed explosively, blood coming out with her spittle.

The onslaught of kicks halted as Rikka felt the blood splatter onto her face. "You've been making me... kick you a lot lately... You asked for it, pinning me like this. Just die already," wheezed Rikka, gasping from her exertion.

Tera doggedly pressed onto Rikka's arms, knowing that game would be over the moment she released them. Her nightmare was coming to life; she was seeing Rikka in her crazed state again, after months of relative peace. Afeared of losing her friend for good this time, the tiger's frightened, pleading air was instinctively taken over by an unbridled ferocity. It had worked in a past timeline, where she had scared the singer out of her irrationality and saved her, and she was banking all her hopes on it working again.

Winded, with blood dribbling down the corner of her mouth, Tera glared at Rikka, saying in a grating voice, "I'm not about to die... not when you're in this effin' state. I'm gonna help you like I did last time. I won't give up on you just yet!" Coughing, she spat out a glob of congealed blood next to Rikka's head, making the other girl cringe in disgust. "Now if you promise to not kick me and talk properly, I'll let you go."

Rikka did not look impressed. "Tera-chan, Tera-chan..." she clucked, "You should never trust assassins to keep promises. I could slay you with a single thrust from my axe, after paralysing you with my eyes, if you did that."

"Then why aren't you paralysing me now, huh?" boomed Tera, her teeth glittering in the dim light. "Go on and do it, freeze me, get me off and kill me, if that's what you're here for!"

The bluenette hesitated at the fierce tone. Pursing her lips, she stammered, "I-I shan't use my paralysing powers on you."

"Why not?"

"You're not worth my powers."

"Why so?"

"Because I say so!"

"If I'm not worth your powers, or your time, then why not just kick me until I let go, and _then_ you can kill me nice and slow?"

"Are you _that_ eager to die?"

"Huh, of course not! I was just stallin' for time, chattin' with you, you oaf." Slightly recovered from the beating she had received, Tera took a deep breath and closed her grip around Rikka's arms tightly. She hauled upwards, swinging the assassin clear off the ground and pinning her to a tree with considerable force. She brought her bloodied face close to a dazed Rikka's, baring her fangs.

"Talk, you piece of shit! Tell me what's going on!" she roared, smoke coming out from her throat. A faint red glow could be seen at the base of her tongue. "If you don't, I'll burn you to a crisp, and I'm not kiddin'!"

Shutting her eyes and averting her face from the vicious Tera, Rikka blabbered something incomprehensible. Tera noted that she was shuddering. Maybe her plan was working. Keeping up with her unpleasant, angry attitude, Tera squeezed Rikka's arms savagely, making her yell.

"It's Homura Akemi's doing, isn't it? She made you into this monster, didn't she?" shouted Tera, choking with emotion and hating herself for hurting Rikka. Tears sprang to her eyes, pooling at the edges.

"I hate you for being so mentally weak! I hate you for givin' in to her request so easily! Do you have any idea how much I've _suffered_ tryin' to figure you out and save you in those past hundred timelines? I had to watch you die over and over again, and that wasn't all. I had to _kill_ you! If not, you'll kill me, and there won't be anyone left to save your blasted soul!" Her voice cracked, her eyes were wide and glaring. "So, were you possessed by the Demon in the past too? Did she order you to kill me back then too? Or is your old bloodlust to simply kill me for the heck of it resurfacin'? Why did you even want to kill me in the first place, huh? Why?!" Tera breathed heavily from her outburst, her pupils dilated to their widest. "Talk to me! Goddammit Rikka, say somethin'!"

But Rikka could not say anything. She slackened in Tera's hold and began to cry, her tears dripping onto the fallen brown leaves.

"H-Hey..." Tera immediately felt very bad for acting in that barbaric manner towards Rikka, even if it was to break her murderous spirit. Deflated, she tried to placate the bluenette. "I'm sorry for shoutin'. I-I... I had to, to snap you outta your mood."

There was no reply from her. With her head lowered and her arms stretched either side of her under Tera's claws, she looked a pitiful figure. However, Tera dared not free her just yet, in case it was all just an act.

"Tera-chan... I have to tell you something," whispered Rikka finally, though she did not look up.

"I'm listenin', Rikka."

"My wish... I told you I wished that I would be able to bring happiness to people, whoever they were, right?" she said quietly. "I cannot deny people of their happiness, because it would bring me so much guilt and regret, which would in turn pollute my Gem. The Demon knew of this, and she took advantage of it. She implored me to kill you, so that there would be one less Elemental to haunt her... and I could not deny her wish. But at the same time, I couldn't deny you of your happiness either by killing you. I tried- I tried so many times to kill you, but I couldn't do it. I admit it. I had wanted to slay you in order to make the Demon happy, but it was the stupidest thing I ever did. I knew Homura Akemi was my enemy, not my friend, but I couldn't stop myself from carrying out her order."

"Rikka..." Tera had braced herself for an explanation such as this, but she was still shaken by it. Who wouldn't, after hearing your best friend tell you that she had wanted to kill you? "Rikka, it's not your fault, that's just the way your wish works. If you had told me earlier, we could've worked somethin' out together."

Shaking her head, Rikka denied Tera's statement. "I did not want to worry you. It would be selfish of me to ask for your help. Too many things were going on in my mind – my parents' death, Eruna-chan's stoic indifference that left her friendless for so many years, Kureha-chan's innocent view on the world that would make her vulnerable to others, your happy-go-lucky personality which always landed you in trouble..." Here, she gave a soft chuckle, as if amused, but she quickly lost her humour as she continued. "How I was going to deal with Shin-kun and Eruna-chan after Homura's threat to kill them, how I could stop myself from killing you, if possible... And how I should end my life if I failed to carry out the Demon's order, as well as protect you from her. I could not burden you with these dark thoughts. And so, I came to a conclusion."

"And what is that?" said Tera apprehensively, feeling the shift of muscles in Rikka's arms. She tightened her grip again, afraid that Rikka may jump her suddenly.

"Since I could not deny the happiness of both you and the Demon, I will carry out her orders yet keep you alive." She tilted her head up, smiling eerily, her face a mask of cheery suffering. "And the only way I figured for that to work was to let go of all my human restraints and become a monster. You wouldn't hesitate to kill a monster, right, Tera-chan? As you've said, you had to kill me in those past timelines because I had snapped. You didn't hesitate, did you?"

Tera shuffled uncomfortably. "I-I had to. You had turned into a Witch, or was nearly a Witch. I couldn't let you kill the people that you had wished to live happily, nor watch you turn into a monster... I had to."

Rikka smiled even wider. "Good... because before I came over to look for you, I had already mentally snapped. I'm no longer the Rikka Sayuki that you know so well. I'm already a monster at heart, and my Soul Gem has been wasted away. How else do you think I could attack you without a tinge of guilt?"

"Y-Y-You're lyin'!" Tera stuttered. "You're still you, I can feel it in me, you haven't changed. I can still help you, don't give up hope yet!"

Rikka laughed dryly. "It's too late, my beloved little tiger. Don't let your love for the selfish Rikka Sayuki blind your better judgement. I'm too far gone for help, and you know that. But please, before I go, tell me that you'll take care of Eruna-chan for me. She refused to move away from this country, and because I won't be helping Homura Akemi out as her personal assassin, she may still have a reason to kill my sister, even after I'm gone."

"G-Gone? What are you talkin' about, Rikka?" shouted Tera, feeling emotionally harassed. "You're not goin' anywhere, I'll take care of you, you'll see!"

"Always so optimistic... That's what I loved about you, Tera-chan," smiled Rikka sadly. Right at this moment, she looked like the old Rikka - pretty, charming, demure and kindly. But it was soon replaced by a grimace. Pain was creeping into her face. "I'm going very soon. Please look after Eruna-chan... Unless you haven't realised, my Soul Gem is beyond purifying, due to my foolishness."

The once-blue Gem on her ring was blacker than pitch. Tera wanted to clap a hand to her mouth to stop herself from crying out after looking at it, but her claws were still around Rikka's arms.

The singer's body began to curl up painfully. She managed to rasp her last words through clenched teeth as Tera released her and hugged her close, refusing to believe what she was witnessing. "All I can ask of you now is that you slaughter my Witch and live on, for that would be the only way for me to keep my first promise to the Demon, yet keep you alive... Kill me before I manage to kill you, Tera-chan... Please, fulfil my last request to you! _I know- ugh! -you can do it!_ "

With an ear-splitting crack, the Soul Gem of the Assassin was rent apart, hatching a Grief Seed of the blackest black. Rikka went limp in Tera's clutches immediately after, without so much as a murmur. Dark flurries flew around the girl and the corpse, and Tera held onto the body to prevent it from being swept away. Vortexes of neon blue and midnight purple swirled in ominous patterns, solidifying into dirty, checkered walls that pressed upon them from all four corners. A high ceiling formed overhead, trapping the tiger in the vast, empty barrier.

Tears flooded Tera's wild orange eyes as she gave vent to a terrible scream, like a winter gale upon storm-lashed seas. Cradling Rikka's dead body close, she glared defiantly at the hideous monstrosity that stood tall before her, that she grudgingly knew so well. It wielded twin axes, exactly like Rikka's, and it stood on its hind legs, its ugly hyena head balancing on a torn-up neck. Where it's heart was supposed to be, there was a gaping hole instead, crisscrossed with stray blood vessels. Mad, black eyes bore into her mind, and Tera looked away, snarling poisonously. Those very same eyes once belonged to Rikka, and they could paralyse her if she stared into them for too long.

"Bellatosa..." she hissed through her tears, slowly standing up with Rikka's corpse in her arms. "I've fought you so many times, in so many different timelines; you're my sworn enemy... A sworn enemy that stood in the way between Rikka and her happiness! This will be the last time you breathe, you slug-faced hyena. I swear, I will send you to the gates of hell for Rikka!"

The Witch howled in an off-key, throaty growl, her slobbering chops sending saliva flying as she shook her maned head. A shadow fell around her and she disappeared instantaneously, only to reappear beside Tera to knock her off her feet. Rikka's body tumbled from a shocked Tera's arms, rolling a few feet away from the impetus. A cruel footclaw landed on the dead body's head, stamping hard on it as the Witch jabbered excitedly. Blood and mashed brains splattered around, some of the gore streaking onto Tera's distressingly convulsed face.

"NO!" A hoarse cry ripped from her throat as she reached out a useless arm. Bellatosa took off her foot, picked up the body and promptly bit Rikka in half, at the torso. She spat the two mangled lumps to either side of her. Tera watched in revolted horror as the flesh ran off of Rikka's bones like water over rocks. No matter how many times she had watched this, she could never get used to it.

The Witch bared her disfigured teeth in a twisted grin, licking the blood dripping from her jowls. Appalled and crying with rage, Tera transformed into her full battle garb and scrambled up, flying at the Witch with vengeance burning bright blue at her claws. " _I will kill you, for Rikka's sake! I WILL KILL YOU!_ "

The fight had commenced!

The damp loam squished underfoot as Shika weaved around the trees and shrubs with the expertise of a seasoned jungle trekker, tailing her dog, Yuki. All those hours spent wandering in the forest to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life was now paying off. Even if she couldn't see properly in the dim conditions, she knew where she was; getting lost was out of the question. The two forged onwards, with no light to guide them, for having a light in soft darkness was like a beacon to the enemy. Shika paused, hearing a frenzied scuffle. A semi-large, furry animal burst onto the path and scurried across her, yelping in alarm.

"Tanuki..." she breathed, staring after the beast as it fled the scene. "It's a tanuki, running away... Something bad is happening up front."

"Tanuki? We have tanuki in this little forest?" perked up Yuki, ears erect. "Great, I could come hunting for them when I'm bored. A dog needs her exercise and fun too-"

"Now's not the time to be talking about this," said Shika, intercepting the garrulous Yuki. "We have to hurry there."

"True, true. I heard some screaming up ahead. Sounds awfully like Rikka and Tera having a jolly old shout at each other. Up on my hunkers, Shika. I'll get us there in a flash." The faithful canine knelt to the ground as Shika placed her Soul Gem atop her head, watching as her dog grew larger and larger. When she was of a desired size, Shika removed the Gem and swung above Yuki, urging her on.

"Let's go, before we're too late!" If two good friends were shouting at each other, it could only mean bad news.


	33. Chapter 31 : Vengeance Revenge

To be unable to look your foe in the face was probably one of the hardest things to do in battle. Tera had to keep her sight locked on to either side of Bellatosa's head to avoid looking into those paralysing black orbs. It resulted in poorly-aimed attacks and a lot of stumbling and faltering. But the tiger was not about to be bested. Already ripped in many places by whirling axes, Tera was out of breath and feeling weak in the knees, but she would not give up.

She rushed the Witch once again, panting for air and feeling the after-effects of the kicks she received from Rikka setting in. Her internal organs were badly bashed up by the bluenette's assault, and every move she made caused a painful wince which she bore wordlessly. As she ran past Bellatosa for the umpteenth time, her claws shot out and grabbed at the Witch's maimed leg, yanking her off balance using her momentum. With a howl of dismay, the monster toppled down, face-first, tossing her axes away to prevent impaling herself upon them.

Tera skidded to a halt, smearing her own blood all over the floor. Looking back, she watched Bella prop herself up on bony elbows, growling as she snapped her head back and glared. Tera quickly looked away, cursing as a jolt of electricity ran down her body. She leapt up and was about to jump on top of the Witch's back, but Bella was fast. For a beast that size, she moved with surprising speed. She turned over and shot out her hind legs, catching Tera squarely in her already-sore midriff. The Puella Magi was sent skidding across the checkered floor, her skin squealing red-hot from the friction and lacerating her wounds. Yelping in pain, Tera forced herself to stand up, her mind racing as she sought to recall the many fights that she had gone through with this Hyena Witch. What did she do then to defeat her? _How the hell_ did she even defeat her?

Bellatosa advanced upon Tera, brandishing her blue-black axes above her malformed head. "Grrroooaaagrr!" Roaring like a wave crashing upon the tideline, she threw her full weight forwards, onto Tera, seeking to cleave her in half with the glittering weapons.

Speed saved Tera's life. Dropping into a crouch, she rolled out of the way. The two blades smashed into the floor, splintering the tiles. Wrenching them out with bloodthirsty madness, the hyena turned to Tera, hunched over and slobbering as she aimed for the next blow.

 _Crash!_

The axe flew straight at Tera's head, but she sidestepped it just in time. It sank into the walls behind her. The second one came in quick succession, buzzing like an angry wasp. Hard pressed, Tera ducked it and broke into a strained sprint, fiery claws stretched to both sides. "You won't get me, you fudgin' dog!" she screamed, bulling into the Witch's squishy abdomen.

Living flesh collided with dead flesh as Tera sent the two of them falling to the floor. Bella shrieked and snapped at the girl with her jaws, craning her neck, but Tera was well beyond reach. Swiftly, she acted, plunging her claws deep into the Witch's chest, beside the gaping hole. She was about to tear it apart when Bella heaved upwards with a mighty surge of power and threw her off, bellowing her wrath. The Magi fell hard on her backside. The Hyena's claws went to her injury, touching the ripped flesh gingerly. She snarled, backing away from Tera.

"Oho, scared of me now, are ya?" taunted the Puella Magi, rubbing at her sore behind. "Backin' away like a big pup, hah! Not so fierce now, are ye?" She swayed up to her feet, flexing her dangerous claws.

Snarling through blackened gums, the Witch let loose an ungodly, piercing yell. Tera grimaced at the shout, remarking humourlessly, "That was pretty unladylike, ya know? Beautiful flotsam like you shouldn't go around screaming your head off."

Not to be outdone by the chatty, bleeding Magi, Bellatosa shook her body with a growl, sending out a cloud of old fur. She smiled wolfishly, licking her yellowish fangs with a dark-red tongue.

"What? Shakin' yourself like a flea-ridden, mange-filled dog don't scare me," huffed Tera. "Oh no, I daresay you need a lesson in scarin', my ugly hyena nemesis."

Tera wished she could take back her words. The fur cloud amalgamated into a hundred or so small hyenas, each screaming and howling like a poorly played orchestra. They hovered a claw's length from their Mistress' body, forming a meat shield around her using their own flesh.

"Damn!" Tera had forgotten that Bellatosa could do that. With the shield of Millitosas around her, it would be considerably harder to damage her. She must take down the new defences before anything else.

A flurry of axes and daggers hummed out between gaps in the small hyenas' close-pressed bodies, all whirring straight at Tera's heart. The tiger dropped like a cannon ball, feeling the projectiles whizz by harmlessly. She hastily rolled up to her feet. Opening her jaws wide, she sent a torrent of blue-white flames gushing out from her mouth at the barrier, hearing the satisfying crackle of burnt flesh. Little voices screamed in pain as they were set ablaze and burned away.

"Hah! How's that?" Laughing in glee, Tera clamped her mouth shut to stop the flames, and watched eagerly at the clearing smoke.

The barrier wasn't even dented. New hyenas had come to replace the dead ones, and they revolved around Bellatosa gaily.

"What?" Tera gawped in disbelief. A creepy titter from behind the shield told her that Bellatosa was enjoying the pyromancer's failure.

Incensed, Tera rushed at the Witch, ignoring all injuries, her claws tearing into the meat shield. She tossed the tiny bodies hither-thither, but as soon as one was flung away, others closed the gap, and more formed from Bellatosa's shed fur. They chittered angrily and swarmed up Tera, nipping her with small fangs. They licked at her blood and bit hard into the open tears, drawing more of the metallic-tasting liquid. Drowning up to her neck in chattering, prickling hyenas, Tera finally backed away. But little nails dug into her skin, tugging. Yelling in alarm, she found herself drawn inwards, pulled by a million minute claws.

A paw emerged from the barrier ominously, holding a blue-lined axe. It poised, ready to strike, as Tera was pulled closer. Flailing her fiery arms about, Tera batted away as many hyenas as she could, her metal tail whipping aside a multitude others. Her taloned boots lashed out at the Millitosas, smashing them underfoot.

 _Escape! I must escape!_

Closer and closer the axe hovered, impatient to draw blood. Behind Tera, Millitosa had closed up, preventing her escape. Her mind worked furiously. The blade was directly in front of her eyes now.

With a desperate holler, Tera grabbed at the axe-paw with both claws and yanked it sideways. The tip of it just grazed her cheek as the weapon clattered away, flattening a few hyenas. An astonished scream met her ears. The paw clenched and flexed its claws madly, trying to seek out its captor.

"Lookin' for me, ugly?" snarled Tera. With an impressive heave otherwise impossible for one so wounded, she pulled the Witch through her meat barrier, swinging her around and smashing her into the Millitosas. Bella screeched as her small hyenas wailed and dripped away like melted butter, the spell broken.

Sitting dazed on the floor, the Witch tried to free her paw from Tera's, but the girl was clinging on with a death grip. With her other claw, Tera wrenched the Witch up to her hind legs by the ears. Her eyes averted from Bellatosa's, Tera worked up a flame in her belly, growling, "Rikka was right, I would never hesitate to kill a monster like you. You killed her, and so, I'll kill you in return. This is the last time you'll draw breath! You'll die the way you mutilated Rikka's body - without a head and cut in half!"

As she was about to spew forth flames of destruction upon Bellatosa's head, the Hyena Witch shrieked shrilly. Deafened, tintinnabulation ringing in her ears, the fire died in her throat.

It was all Bella needed. Like a shadow, she zipped away from Tera's grasp and reappeared ten feet away, hunching over like primeval man. A large crowd of undersized, imp-like Familiars popped up from the ground around her. Tera noticed them and sucked in a sharp breath.

"Damn, it's those imps!" She threw three fireballs at them, but Bellatosa countered with her axes, throwing them into the midst of the flames and magically cutting it down to nothing. The Hyena gave a guttural chuckle.

Tera's eye ticked in irritation. "I've fought you a hundred times, yet I can't remember the fudge what your moves are."

The imp Familiars, Leenatosas, struck up a squawking ruckus, their eyes shining bright aquamarine. Tera gulped nervously as the very fibres of reality were bent and meshed, twisted, quivering, moulded into a completely different world as they sang - an idealism of the Witch's imagination. The checkered walls shimmered away, replaced by the dim forest that she had been crashing about moments earlier.

"What is this, mug-face? What're you playin' at?" asked Tera anxiously, not liking the new battleground. It had plenty of nooks and crannies, places to hide and set up ambushes, a great boat-load of spiders...

No sooner had spiders entered her mind, than they came to life in the conjured forest. They teemed in the trees and brush, larger than life, their mandibles clicking hungrily. Uncountable numbers of eyes peered short-sightedly at Tera, fangs dripping venom. Scared stiff and fit to faint, the tiger watched in helpless horror as their stubby bodies were carried towards her on spindly, hairy legs.

Concentrating on an image of Akira in her mind as Yuki loped onwards, Shika extended her mind and soul beyond her Gem, sifting past numerous other souls while trying to find a connection with her friend's... She had to tell her that Tera was in possible danger, knowing how Akira secretly cared for the tigerish girl.

Linking their Soul Gems, and consequently sending messages to each other in the form of light pulses, was a method of long-range communication that they had discovered when they were in their early teens. It was more of an accidental discovery than anything. One day, after a battle with a Witch, their Gems began to vibrate and hum and give out soft rays of light together. And they found out that they could 'speak' with one another through merging their souls in the Soul Gems.

Though they didn't use this ability much, they knew it was there, and it was amazingly useful in dire situations like these.

She could feel the waves of security and friendship wash over her as her Soul made contact with Akira's, miles away. The older girl's Soul pulsed with a fierceness and fighting spirit that was unrivalled by any, but Shika recognised it not by that. She knew it by the small, almost invisible hint of anxiety, loneliness and longing that buried itself deep in Akira's heart. It always tried to hide away from her whenever she connected their Soul Gems, but she could sense it as easily as seeing a white dot in a sea of black.

With their Gems connected, Shika sent off a distress signal, the best that she could manage since calling her now was out of the question. Besides, she might land Akira in trouble if she were having a talk with her parents now. She would sense the Soul Gem pulsation without even looking at it, understand that there was an emergency, and give a reply through another connection later.

Satisfied that Akira was noted about the situation, though feeling guilty for disturbing her at a time like this, Shika leaned into the nape of Yuki's neck to avoid drooping branches. Sounds of a fight were drifting closer; she hoped she was not too late.

Spiders of all sizes and shapes rained down on Tera as she attacked them heedlessly, her claws ripping and tearing as insect fluid splashed all over her. Mad fear had captured her heart; all she wanted now was to get away from her worst nightmare. Somewhere far away, she could hear Bellatosa cackling, no doubt enjoying the sight. Her Leenatosas were scattered around her, laughing with their Mistress dutifully. Bella knew her weakness, her phobia from caches of Rikka's memories, and had used it against her.

With a spider's head in one claw and another's leg in her other, her tail jabbed about at the spiders behind her. She flipped them bodily, hurling them into their brethren. Distasteful squishing sounds filled the air as Tera continued to batter away at the arachnids.

Out of the treetops, a spider of epic proportions dangled off a thread of silk and snatched Tera up in its jaws. No words could describe the fear and horror felt by Tera. Howling, crying and yelling, she bit and punched the monster but to no avail. In full-blown panic, she had forgotten that spiders were easily flammable.

The huge specimen thrust Tera into a web as large as a house, and she stuck there firmly. Reduced to a trembling kitten, Tera could only watch as the spider pressed its outlandish face close, its eight eyes roving over her body and wondering which part would be the tastiest. Before it could strike her with its venomous fangs, Bellatosa whacked it aside with a dagger and stomped on it, killing it instantly. She would not allow it to eat her prey. The smaller spiders scurried away, not wanting to become a victim of the Witch. The Leenatosas pounced forward and snatched them up in their jaws, devouring them.

Slobbering with anticipation, Bellatosa readied her daggers. A grimy claw snatched at Tera's cheeks; she forced the girl's head to the front, locking eyes with the mad black orbs. Unable to resist, Tera fell under the paralysing bewitchment, her face frozen into a mask of pure terror. The daggertip pressed itself lightly on Tera's throat, piercing the skin enough to draw blood. The Witch crooned with pleasure, seeing the red liquid.

Her joy was short lived. A sizable chunk of metal bashed into her right shoulder, flipping her head over tail from the impact. The dagger flew from her grasp. A white mass of fur and muscle dashed past like a hurricane, rounding back and pouncing on the Witch. There was a brief tussle for power, but the dog managed to hold Bellatosa down. The green-clad rider hopped off neatly, rushing over to Tera. With the long handle of her warhammer, she cut away at the webs that held her friend captive.

"Tera-san, are you alright?" Shika held the young girl securely, frowning when she realised that Tera was not moving. She shook her a few times, saying, "Tera-san, say something. What happened to you?"

Tera's lips moved faintly, though her eyes were staring straight ahead. "Don't- look into- her eyes."

"Huh? Eyes?" Shika was about to question her further when she heard a dull thud behind her. Snapping her head back, she saw Yuki topple over sideways like a statue, her four legs sticking out straight. Gobsmacked, the Magi uttered a few sounds of confusion, but she had no time to waste. Now free of her burden, Bellatosa rose to her full height and bellowed, charging at Shika with axes brandished.

Acting quickly, Shika dragged Tera up with brute strength and threw her aside into the bushes as the Witch hurtled at them. The Earth Elemental took the full brunt of the collision, feeling the wind tear from her lungs as Witch and Puella Magi crashed into the undergrowth.

 _Don't look into her eyes._

Tera's warning sprang to mind when Bella tried to make Shika look at her. The black eyes pulled her into the Witch's mind, chanting hypnotically, ' _Stiffennnnn. Solidifyyyyy. Hardennn!_ '

Shutting her own eyes, Shika shifted her grip on the warhammer's handle and heaved, bringing it crashing upon the Hyena's snout. As Bellatosa squirmed about screeching, clutching her injured muzzle, Shika sprang up and raced to her dog's side, putting her ear to Yuki's massive nose. She sighed in relief when she felt wind puffing out. Her dog was alive, but paralysed. Hastily, she set up a string barrier around Yuki to protect her temporarily. Now, she rushed over to Tera, who was slowly regaining control over her limbs.

"Damned Witch gone and paralysed me good," she grumbled, moving a hand jerkily. "Shika-senpai, don't look into her eyes, they'll stick you up proper and you'll be a sittin' duck, waitin' to be roasted."

Shika nodded. "I know. She paralysed Yuki. I gave the Witch a smack on the face, so that should keep her occupied for at least half a minute. Are you well enough to stand up? You're hurt badly though... perhaps you should stay here while I finish her off with-"

"NO! I'm killin' her myself!" The green-haired girl looked taken aback at the sudden shout from Tera.

"Oh, err... I feel like a million bucks, trust me, I can fight," gushed Tera. "Though... those blasted spiders scared the shit outta me... Thanks for savin' me." She scuffed the loam awkwardly with her tail.

A small smile lit up Shika's otherwise surly expression. "Don't mention it. By the way, where's Rikka-san? You were chasing after her in this forest, weren't you?"

Tera bit her lip. "She... escaped. I told her to run while I took care of this Witch."

"Fair enough. Let's hope she's safe. We'll look for her when this Hyena is taken care of."

An angry roar told them that Bellatosa was done nursing her hurt muzzle. Leenatosas crawled over to her and began to sing again, their eyes casting aquamarine lights over the forest landscape. It shifted and tilted in a disorientating manner, settling into a rooftop of an abandoned building. Scattered around here and there were metal bits and unwanted furniture. The Witch was hiding somewhere among them.

Shika groaned inwardly. In a place as high as this, there would be no earth for her to manipulate. She would have to rely on her warhammer alone. The Witch was cunning indeed. The corners of her eyes caught her earth barrier around her dog crumbling. The large beast was stirring - the effects of the paralysm were wearing off.

"Tera-san," said Shika urgently, "I'll distract the Witch, you try to get around her back and blind her. If we can't look at her, it'll make the battle very tough."

"Yeah, I realised," mumbled Tera moodily. "Alright! Forward the buffs, give 'em the jolly ol' blood'n vinegar, as I always say." She limped around to a pile of debris, awaiting the attack.

Shika walked out into the open space boldly, letting her warhammer trail along on the ground behind her. It made a harsh noise against the concrete. A gust of wind blew about her, setting her scarves aflutter. "Bellatosa, show yourself!" she called out, challenging the Witch.

Faster than the eye could see, the Hyena appeared in front of Shika and swung her axes at the Magi with crazed power. Shika hauled her warhammer front and parried the attack with an expertise that could only be achieved by an experienced fighter. Jarred from the impact, the Witch jumped back and squatted on all fours, glaring at Shika. Shaken, the girl kept her eyes trained on Bellatosa's neck, her mind reaching out to Yuki's through telepathy.

 _"Don't make any sudden moves, Yuki. When you're free of the paralysm, get up slowly and creep behind her. You know what to do next."_

 _"Got that!"_

Quick as a moray eel, the Witch struck again, throwing her axes at Shika and summoning new ones to her paws. Shika deflected a projectile with her weapon, but could not prevent one from slicing through her upper right arm. Screaming in pain, she pressed a hand hard on the deep wound to staunch the blood, still holding onto her warhammer with the other. Her battlewrath aroused, Shika charged Bellatosa nonetheless with a fearsome warcry, her forest green eyes ablaze will slaughter. "May the Earth claim your corrupted Soul! Ahhhhhhhhh!"

A heavy blow landed on the Witch's right arm, dislocating the bone. She yelled in agony, the broken limb hanging by her side uselessly. Shika gnashed her teeth together as the pain from her arm threatened to cloud her senses, doggedly dragging her huge warhammer up for another attack.

But Bellatosa would not be hit again. She shook herself fiercely, setting up a fur-cloud. Unaware of this new threat, Shika backed off, watching as the fur turned into a barrier of small hyenas.

At the same moment, Yuki was up and padding over to the Witch on silent paws. Shika noticed her, and said through her mind, " _Jump over the top and attack her from the inside!"_ The dog needed no second bidding. She took a running jump and vaulted over the top, disappearing into the mass of bodies. There was a whine, a yelp and plenty of growls and snarls, and amid an explosion of fur, the shield broke down, exposing the two beasts. Bellatosa threatened to overpower Yuki, slashing at the brave canine with her daggers.

"Tera-san! Now!" yelled Shika, running over to her dog to help her. Tera rushed out from behind a stack of rubble, her claws set on white hot flames as she did a sprinting leap right onto Bellatosa's back. The blazing claws clamped cruelly around the Witch's face and dug into the eyeballs, burning them away.

With a hair-raising yowl, the Hyena grabbed at Tera, meaning to fling her off, but Yuki had fixed her teeth into her thigh, chomping down hard and breaking the bone. Bellatosa collapsed to the floor.

"Out of the way!" Shika swung her warhammer in a blurry arc as her two comrades dropped away from the weapon's range. It thudded forcefully into Bella's head, sending her skittering across the concrete floor.

Tera was upon the Witch at once, like a hawk upon a chick. Trembling and shaking from exhaustion and emotion, cut open in a dozen places and her voice ringing with hate, she said, "Now, it has truly come to an end, Witch! You will die, _for good_!"

Two swipes of her lethal claws finished the job. The grotesque head flew several metres away from its neck as its tongue lolled out, finally falling to the floor with a sickly thud. The lower half of her body was flung off the edge of the rooftop. Tera breathed heavily, staring at the remains of the Hyena Witch. Its battered torso glowed a faint blue - the blue of Rikka's Soul Gem - and degenerated into a single Grief Seed. The Witch barrier shimmered away with a shower of aquamarine glitter, and the trio found themselves standing in the forest loam once more.

Tera picked up the Grief Seed, staring at it with blank eyes. Behind her, Shika came up, pressing her Soul Gem onto the cut in her arm to seal it up. She then quickly tended to Tera's horrific injuries, making the young girl sit down as she used her own magic on the wounds. Yuki curled up around them, providing them with some warmth and comfort with her giant presence.

The tiger was very quiet. She simply stared at the Grief Seed. Shika tried to urge her to heal herself. "Tera-san, you have to close these wounds. Use your magic, then purify your Gem with that Grief Seed we just got. I've got my own Seeds, so don't worry. After you're feeling better, we'll go look for Rikka-san together, alright? ...Tera-san?"

"I couldn't save her."

Shika furrowed her brows in consternation. "Save who?"

Turning to face Shika, Tera held the Grief Seed out and shoved it in front of her senior aggressively. Her eye rims were red as she shouted, " _Her!_ I couldn't save her! Who else do you think I wanted to save?! Instead, I- I _killed_ her! Aargh!"

Tera dissolved into a rage, throwing the Seed away from her. It hit a young sapling and tumbled to the floor, unharmed. Storming up and paying no heed to her remaining open cuts, she ran off into the dark night cursing most terribly.

It happened all too fast for Shika to follow. At a loss, she simply snatched up Bellatosa's Grief Seed and swung up Yuki, telling her dog to follow Tera. As Yuki trotted off at a steady pace, Shika's Soul Gem began to pulse softly - it was a message from Akira. She whipped it out and observed the patterns, interpreting them easily.

 _'Hold on. I'm coming.'_

Returning the Gem to its hold in her bestial-motif ring, Shika felt slightly comforted by the knowledge of her friend's arrival. For now, she had to look for Tera and calm her down.

It didn't take long for Yuki to chase Tera down. The orange-haired girl saw them coming and tried to flee, but Yuki bowled her over gently with a paw and kept her on the ground as Shika went to her side.

"Tera-san, what happened?" she asked softly, going on to her knees and looking at the figure lying sideways in the soil.

Tera looked miserable, but she was putting on the brave upper lip. "I just killed a Witch, that's wot happened."

"There's something more to it. That Witch's appearance was no coincidence. Tell me, Tera-san. Who was it?" Shika motioned for Yuki to lift her paw from Tera. Sitting up, the tiger sighed heavily, her eyes lowered.

"It was Rikka... I killed Rikka."

Before Shika could react to the news, a shadowy figure stepped out from the murkiness of the woodlands, growling from behind them. "You murderer..."

It couldn't be Akira - it was impossible for her to travel so quickly. Besides, she'd let her know that she was outside the forest first before striking in; Akira did not fancy getting lost in forests. _So, who was it?_

The two girls turned to the voice slowly, apprehension building in their chests. A low warning growl issued from Yuki.

"You murdered my sister... _Murderer!"_ The voice was quavering, but harsh and loud. Unforgiving.

Tera got to her feet, barely keeping herself from crying out. "Eruna, your sister was beyond savin'. I did what I could for her-"

"LIAR!" screeched Eruna, sky blue eyes wide with untamed ferocity. She stepped into the small circle, finally showing her face, and it wasn't pretty. It was contorted into a vicious mien, any signs of friendliness that used to reside in her saturnine expression gone. Her fists were curled at her sides, trembling, as if wanting to hurl themselves at Tera's head. The tiger girl flinched at the ruthless tone of her friend's accusation.

"You killed my sister... YOU KILLED MY SISTER!" With a wild scream, the lion-like girl threw herself at Tera, scratching and punching. "You will pay with your own blood! Scum! _Murderer!_ "

It seemed that Eruna would kill Tera if nothing were done. The tiger was not even defending herself; she bore the attacks with tears in her eyes, yelping at every hit she received.

Shika intervened. She jumped at Eruna and looped her arms under the girl's armpits, locking her hold on the lioness. Struggling to pull the maddened girl away from Tera, she shouted urgently, "Tera-san, get away from her! Don't just stand there!"

Blinking foggily, Tera scrabbled back, taking in Eruna's angered form with a scared expression. Eruna stopped moving in Shika's hold, breathing like a bellows and glaring hatred at Tera.

"I tailed my sister over to this place," she snarled, addressing Tera. "I saw her run into the forest, and you took after her. I followed. I saw _everything._ Your argument, her death and transformation, you killing her in the end... I saw it all! You brought this pain upon her!"

"Eruna, I couldn't do anythin' else! She didn't even let us know what was happenin' to 'er. If she had told us earlier, we could've saved her!"

" _Are you blaming her for her own death?!_ " shrieked Eruna, yanking forwards and causing Shika to almost stumble. " _You_ caused her death, and no one else! _You_ are to blame for her death! _You_!"

Tera bit back a sob. She didn't recognise this monster that was shouting at her. She was petrified.

"Eruna-san, enough of this!" yelled Shika, jerking Eruna backwards. "Calm down, stop harassing your friend!"

"Friend? _Friend?!_ She's no friend of mine!" screamed Eruna in high rage, spittle flying everywhere. "I'll kill her if it's the last thing I do! You hear me, Tera? _I'll kill you!"_ She wrenched Shika's arms away from her and sprinted away, her fatal threat hanging in the air.

The Soul Gem message from Shika could not have arrived at a worse time. Akira was receiving a spectacular scolding from her parents when it came, and she had hastily covered a hand over her ring. After her parents had given her a last, dire warning, they sent her off to her room and retired to theirs, totally unsuspecting of what took place next.

Slipping out through the window of her room, Akira dashed around the house to where she kept her motorcycle and keys. Her parents had forgotten about its existence and took away her car keys, but not the keys to the bike. She pushed the vehicle out to the front gate as quietly as she could, and when she was out of earshot, revved it up and sped off into the night.

She knew all sorts of shortcuts that would take her to Shika's quicker than by car. In her haste, she had not put on her helmet; her long white hair streamed out in the wind like a dancing, silver river.

The Red Garden loomed into sight. Very soon, she was at Shika's front gate, which was left swinging open. Akira had reached in less than ten minutes, but ten minutes could mean a lot when one was in a battle. She hastily sent off another light pulse to Shika's Gem.

 _'I'm here. Where are you?'_

Turning off the engine of her motorcycle, she got off and closed the gate, trying to swallow the bile that was rising up her throat. She had a bad feeling that something terrible had happened to Shika and Tera.

When there was no reply after two minutes of waiting, Akira decided to look for them herself. She struck into the dark folds of the night-encased forest, squinting at every single branch and leaf. If there had been reckless crashing through the forest, it would certainly leave an obvious trail of demolished greenery.

Her storm-grey eye caught a snapped twig. She inspected it, then saw another broken branch on the loam. She hopped over to the spot, casting about for more signs. Very soon, she discovered Tera's chaotic trail as she pursued Rikka through the winding nature trails made by the resident animals. She knew Shika and Yuki well enough to know that they would never leave their tracks behind them; precaution was always exercised when the threat of enemies hung about. With her heart in her mouth, she followed the fragmented vegetation stealthily, noting the scattered mess of crushed leaves and twigs.

She hoped that the mess was not because of Tera being pursued by a large foe...

Tell-tale signs of a battle were evident in the area where Akira emerged from her tracking. Dagger marks where everywhere, as well as claw rends in the tree trunks. They couldn't be far off now.

Something caught her off her guard. A figure of medium height came crashing out through the bushes, her sky-blue eyes effused with hate and bloody murder. They collided into one another, but before Akira could even yell in surprise, the person had jumped up and ran away.

Paying no heed to the mysterious figure for now, Akira got up hastily. Her friends' safety were more important to her. She hurried in the direction where the person had come from, certain that her friends were just behind the curtain of foliage. Just then, her Soul Gem pulsed thrice: _'We're safe. Wait. We're coming.'_

Akira paused where she was; instant relief was awarded to her turbulent emotions. Not a moment later, Yuki padded out from between the trees, with Shika and Tera astride her. Tera seemed to be slumped over in Shika's arms, and there were numerous bloody slashes on her body. Giving an anguished shout of alarm, Akira ran towards them, causing Yuki to stop and stoop over so that Akira could get to her friends. "Tera-chan?! What happened to her, Shika? Is she alright?" she said, her hands clasping Tera's clammy ones. Shika could only shake her head mutely, looking very downcast.

The tiger looked up weakly, her face pale and drawn, her sclera clouded with red. At the sight of Akira, she sniffed audibly. "A-Akira-senpai... u-uhmp..." Tears appeared like soiled dewdrops at the corners of her eyes, her features screwed up trying to contain them.

"Oh god, Tera-chan, you poor little thing!" Akira gave vent to a passionate cry and enveloped the young girl in a hug, covering herself with Tera's blood. The tiger whimpered, then, unable to keep herself together anymore, she burst into wails, wrapping her arms around Akira. She sobbed and sobbed, hot tears drowning her cheeks and mixing with mucus and blood, pouring down Akira's chest in a deluge of watery red.

"I-It's alright... We've got you, Tera-chan," said Akira, trying her hardest to not cry after seeing the tragic state Tera was in. She shifted her hands, and when she turned the palms up, they were smeared with blood. "Hush, tiger. We've got you... We'll take care of you. It's alright..."

An extra pair of arms circled the pair, and Shika lent her reassurance to them both, but only through her actions. She didn't say a word, not about Rikka's death, not about Eruna's wrath. It didn't feel right to say it. It lay solely to Tera to reveal whatever she was comfortable with to Akira.

After making sure that Tera was feeling good enough to sit up straight, Shika and Akira placed her in between them as they all mounted the white steed, so that she would not topple over. It was a very dispirited trio and dog that emerged at the mouth of the forest late that night. The clear skies purged a few comets across its expansive belly, gossiping with the stars and cloud wisps. Light zephyrs played with the tree leaves mischievously, flipping them this way and that.

As Akira and Shika supported a straggling Tera into the house, Yuki shut the gates cleverly and trotted after them, whining anxiously. The orange-haired girl had lost a lot of blood in the battle with Bellatosa, and she did not look too well. To call an ambulance would raise a lot of questions. To notify her parents would bring her trouble.

"But we've no choice but to let them know!" insisted Akira, indicating Tera's parents. "Their daughter is badly hurt, and we need their consent-"

"They're abroad, there's nothing they can do. We just have to rely on our magic to heal her."

"I'm just scared that magic won't replenish her blood. She might die out of blood loss! We need her parents to give permission to send her to the hospital."

Tera watched her two seniors arguing, all the while focusing her magic onto her cuts to seal them. Akira was right, no magic would replenish her blood, but magic could close her wounds. It was good enough. As Akira opened her mouth to say something back to Shika, Tera raised a shaky hand.

"Senpai..." The two girls stopped where they were and turned their heads to her. Tera gulped, taking a deep breath and going red in the face. "I... I lied to you both."

"Lied to us?" Shika cocked her head to one side, becoming alert. "About what?"

The wild girl licked her lips nervously. "That my parents are abroad... What I'm saying is, I...- I don't have parents."

" _Wha-?_ " Akira could not believe her ears. It was as if she had been slapped in the face by a Witch. "Y-You're an o-orphan?" she stammered.

Tera nodded guiltily as she began to pour her words out. "I live with an uncle and his wife, and their children... I never knew my birth parents. They told me they died in an accident when I was two. They treat me nicely enough, but there's always this feelin' that I'm _'out'_. I ain't part of the family. I'm the weirdo. The nutcase who acts like she's a tiger, but in fact, she's just a scared kitty who's pretendin' to be somethin' bigger than she really is. I have a big ego and terrible manners, like a tiger would, so that I'd be able to get myself through this harsh reality... but really, I think I'm just a kitten deep inside... My foster siblings see through this facade of mine and tease me about it. They know all sorts of ways to poke fun of me, using my internal weaknesses for their own joy. Their parents intervene, but rarely so... I'm not really attached to my uncle's family, nor are they to me. All I ever had, closest to family, was Rikka and Eruna, and Kureha-chan..." She paused for a sniffle, remembering all her friends. "B-But now, Rikka... and Eruna..."

She looked at her seniors, who were giving her very concerned stares. She swallowed, feeling her saliva course down her oesophagus to her stomach. All her cuts were sealed by now, but she still felt woozy. There was not enough blood in her veins.

"Akira-senpai, Shika-senpai, can I tell you guys somethin' more...?" she murmured, twiddling with her fingers anxiously.

The two older girls' curiosities were aroused. They huddled in closer to Tera, all their attention fixed on the tiger.

"Go ahead, Tera-chan. We're listening,," said Akira in a gentle, soothing tone.

She inhaled deeply, then looked at her seniors with a purposeful gleam in her eyes. "... It's about the One Month."


	34. Chapter 32 : The One Month of Hell (P1)

_***_  
 _Sometimes, the only way around suffering is to go through it._  
 _***_

Tera winced as she shifted her position to a more comfortable one, sprawling her aching legs before her. She clasped her hands on her lap like a penitent wrongdoer, her usually-bright eyes unusually dim. Her whole body was stiff - with the wounds and blood loss, or with apprehension, she didn't know. Maybe she was just feeling on edge. She didn't know how Shika would react to her confession - Akira already heard part of it - and she was not too eager to find out. While Shika looked like the sort of person who would just give you a polite, awkward smile throughout a piece of news, she also looked like the sort of person who would frown and fix you with a deadly glare if the information happened to be unsettling. She was just too unpredictable for Tera's comfort.

"So, err... I've told Akira-senpai about this... _predicament_ of mine before," she began, clenching and unclenching her fists fretfully. "It went like this... Erm... Fudge, I can't do this." She slumped over and pressed a palm into her face.

Akira gave Tera's hand an encouraging squeeze. "Start slow, at the very beginning, the first timeline, or even when you became a Puella Magi. There's no rush." She wanted to know the whole truth of the situation. Only the intro of the melody had been played to her, a mere few strokes of screechy violin strings; she wanted to hear the entire otherworldly symphony, regardless of how terrible it may sound.

Looking grateful for Akira's support, Tera launched into her story, pausing every now and then to catch her breath, or to recall a piece of detail.

"I'll tell you about my backstory. That's the best place to start... I met Rikka and Eruna when I was eight. At that time, I had enrolled in the Kazamino School of Music and Arts through a scholarship I obtained from talent showcase. It takes in students as young as six, and has upperclassmen until the age of twenty. I was put into the same class as Eruna, and it was there that I made friends with the sisters. Soon, we became so close that I would often follow 'em home after school, and I'd sleep over at their place. Their parents would welcome me as if I were their own child, and have even gotten an extra futon for me when I stayed the night. O' course, my uncle didn't mind. He had one less mouth to feed whene'er I chose to stay at Rikka's. It was great, us being together."

"After Kureha-chan enrolled the next year, we formed a quartet band in our school, the four of us. It was a compulsory project to be undertaken by all students. Damn, that little girl was a devil with the instruments. I've never seen anyone play like she did, and she was just eight. Well, the four of us soon became inseparable. We did almost everythin' together - music practice, theory, homework, sports, just chillin' out on the balcony or whatever shit - except that we all took different classes. Rikka majored in violin, piano, singin' and paintin'; Eruna majored in drum, cello and music theory; I took classes in guitar, piano and illustration, as well as martial arts and judo - yeah, they offer those classes there - and Kureha-chan just did everythin' she was allowed to. She's a musical prodigy, I tell ye."

"When I was ten, I suffered an injury to my arms during a judo lesson. The fat pig who was pitched against me played dirty. She fudgin' flipped me over and started to bash my arms like we were in some boxin' match. Jesus Christ, I could remember my bones breakin'. She's a bully and no mistake - she always wanted to pick a fight with me cause I was better than her in judo. Thank God she got expelled after that episode. Anywho, I was rushed to the hospital, and they told me that my left and right humerus were fractured. They had to remove the bone shards through surgery and leave it to recover on its own, but it'd cost quite a lot. My uncle wasn't too pleased. Still, he called for the surgery, and I thought innocently that once I was out of the creepy operation theatre, I'd be able to play my instruments like before... Was I ever dumber than that. The operation met with complications, though they didn't admit it. Some smartass left a fudgin' knife in my arm, and it rusted inside of me. An infection took hold of my flesh. The arteries narrowed and my arms began to look blue, with scary black stripes. My uncle was horrified. He wanted to sue the hospital, haha. Well, they offered to amputate my two limbs free-o'-charge - ain't that terribly kind o' the blighters? - to stop the infection from reachin' my heart. Even though I was ten, I could understand what 'amputate' was. I freaked out and tried to run away to Rikka's house. The next thing I knew, I was sedated and put under the fudgin' knife, and I emerged from the ward armless... Ugh..."

Tera shrank into herself, hugging her arms with a shudder as if remembering the terrible ordeal. A gentle arm draped around her shoulder and gave her a heartening shake. "At least you lived through it," said Akira, a warm twinkle in her eye. "If you didn't, who'd be here to annoy me then, huh?"

A feeble grin stretched on Tera's lips. "Yeah, there'd be no one to ship ShiKira-"

" _Good god_ , enough of that shipping nonsense, Aido!" Akira jumped away from Tera as if they were opposite poles of a magnet, dusting herself down like she had just touched something dirty. Coughing into her hand, she said huskily, "Erhem, please continue."

But Shika, who had simply watched their antics with a half-smile, could not resist asking a question first. "Tera-san, if you had lost your arms, _then_...?" She looked uncertainly at the two healthy-looking appendages. Akira pulled a face at Shika's insensitive remark, causing the green-haired girl to blanch and stammer a quick apology. "S-Sorry, I shouldn't have asked that..."

Unfazed, Tera waved her off. So far, Shika was quietly listening with a solemn look on her face - nothing too scary yet. She was secretly afraid of the apathetic green-haired girl due to her somewhat flat personality. "Nah, I was gettin' to that part anyways..." Staring at her palm, with a blank look in her eyes, Tera continued her account. It was easier to talk now she had started.

"So... after I lost my arms, I got kinda depressed. I couldn't play music, I couldn't draw, I couldn't take part in judo lessons anymore... I just skipped school and wasted my time at home even after the plasters and whatnots were off. My friends were gettin' worried for me. Rikka would visit me every day and try to cheer me up, but nothin' she did could make me crack a grin. I felt like dyin'. What was life without arms to do what you love? I grew so distant and dark that my foster siblings stayed clear o' me, and my uncle and aunt were at their wits end tryin' to help me see things in a brighter light. Although I didn't know it then, a Witch had been preyin' on me, eatin' my Grief and growin' stronger on it."

"One day, I told myself, I can't do this shit anymore. So I walked to the park and stood at the lakeside, about to drown myself, when Rikka appears with Eruna and Kureha-chan... They managed to convince me to not kill myself. After all, there are quite a number of famous artists who didn't have arms too, and still succeeded. So I took their word to heart and was about to go home with them when we all stepped into this Witch barrier. We didn't know what it was then, so we stumbled around lookin' for a way out. All of a sudden, this gigantic monster jumped us - I will never forget what it looked like. It was a... s-spider... prancing on human legs, a huge one with three heads and three sets of fangs. It was the very same that had been feedin' on my grief. It would have killed us had not Kyubey appeared - bless that cursed donkey - askin' us to become Puella Magi to save our own lives. Even in that moment of desperation, I thought about my lost arms, and I wished for them back. They became my weapons, morphin' into those fiery claws. Rikka wished that she could make everyone happy - she was becomin' depressed just by lookin' at me... I wished I didn't do that to her. If I had snapped out of it earlier, she wouldn't have had to make that wish and become a Puella Magi... Kureha-chan wished that she would always have music close to her. If you see her in battle, you'll know how the wish turned out to be. Eruna didn't have a chance to make one. The Witch killed Kyubey after Kureha-chan's was granted."

"Between the three of us, we managed to murder the Witch and got home in a mess of blood and spider goo. Ever since that, I didn't fancy spiders much... Ugh, the hairy monsters... That night, I didn't go home, scared that my uncle would question my newfound arms. I stayed with Rikka and Eruna, and it was then that Kyubey visited us and told us all about the duty of Puella Magi. We honestly thought it was pretty cool at first, and Eruna wanted to join too, but Rikka stopped her, sayin' that she need not put herself in this danger. When I told Kyubey I was afraid that people would question my arms, he said there was no need to worry. My wish would negate any memories of me ever losin' 'em."

"The three of us soon got the hang o' fightin' Witches, and even found out that if we failed to cleanse our Soul Gems, we'd turn into the very monsters we were killin'. We have to thank an unknown Puella Magi for that - we couldn't save her and watched as she died, her Soul Gem hatchin' into a Grief Seed. Rikka was ever so relieved that day. She thanked God that Eruna was not a Puella Magi. Everythin' after was hunky-dory, killin' Witches, goin' to classes, hangin' out whenever we were free - until this Witch came seven months ago... and murdered Rikka's parents..."

Tera licked her fangs, looking undoubtedly troubled. She looked at her two seniors with wide eyes and downturned mouth, still hugging herself. In a small mew, she carried on, "The Witch came too suddenly for Rikka to react. It was out of the blue that the barrier descended, and the Witch had already slain her parents before she even transformed. I don't know the details, but Eruna told me that Rikka killed the Witch in a very horrible fashion... It was then that her ability to paralyse foes in battle awakened, accordin' to Eruna. And since then, Rikka blamed herself for being unable to save them. She couldn't accept that they were dead. Every day, for nearly a month, she would act as if they were still alive - settin' the table for four instead of two, cleanin' their room and puttin' out the futons at night, leavin' two chairs out at the livin' room for them... It was a classic stuck-in-the-past syndrome. She couldn't move on, not as long as she kept blamin' herself for their deaths. Eruna handled it better. She tried to snap her sister outta it, but it wasn't workin'. We became so worried for her that we had her meet the school counsellor near the end of the month... And... God."

Tera lowered her eyelids and sucked in air through her teeth. "She killed the counsellor. Paralysed her and slit her throat with a dagger. When we entered the room, it was filled with blood, and Rikka was sittin' there with an eerie smile on her face, sayin' that everyone should just die and meet the wrath of God in Heaven. We didn't even know what was happenin', it took place too quickly. Kureha-chan sprouted an axe between her forehead, Eruna dropped to the floor with a dagger in her heart... And I... I-I ran away, like a true coward... When I returned to the room, Rikka was dead too; took her own life with an axe to the neck..."

Akira gasped, her hand going to her mouth. She threw an uneasy sideways glance at Shika, who in turn avoided her gaze, her complexion as pale as flour. She remembered that many years ago, she had tried to commit suicide too. If it weren't for Yuki, she'd be dead by now.

Tera fidgeted, feeling aghast by her own harrowing tale. Images of the dead bodies from that night were fresh in her brain. Those sightless eyes, gaping mouth, bloodstained skin... Nonetheless, she carried on, trying to push down her rising nausea.

"After I discovered that Rikka had died too, I didn't know what to do. Should I hide the bodies, clean the blood, act like nothin' happened, or should I report to the teachers, tell Kureha-chan's parents?...I did the first. It wasn't pleasant, luggin' bodies around... erk... I was afraid of what would happen next. Would I be caught by the police for questioning? I contemplated runnin' away. But- But here's where the really weird thing happened! All of a sudden, I was standin' in my room with my guitar in my hand. I was clean, with no blood on me. God knows what I was doin' there so abruptly, and so clean too. I ran into the livin' room and saw my siblings playin' some fool game, and I asked them, 'Wasn't I in school?' They gave me looks like as if I were crazy. When I saw what date it was on the kitchen calendar, I almost reeled. I had _gone back in time_ , exactly one month ago, just after Rikka's parents died. I crashed over to the sisters' place, only to see the funeral happenin' all over again. I was flabbergasted. Like, what happened? But I couldn't care less what happened then. My friends were alive, and that was all that mattered to me. I realised that I had just gotten a second chance to save Rikka. But when I told them that they actually died, and we had all gone back in time, they gave me blank stares. None of them remembered ever dyin', nor did Rikka remember that she had been depressed and killed everyone. They remembered nothin'. Nada. It was only me. I shrugged it off at first, thinkin' that maybe God was givin' me a chance to save my friends. So, I relived that month, tryin' to cheer Rikka up so that she wouldn't go crazy and kill everyone."

"...I failed. I watched hopelessly as history repeated itself - the dead counsellor, Kureha-chan with an axe in her forehead, Eruna with a dagger in her heart... And me runnin' away again... Huh, you'd think I would have stayed back and stopped Rikka from killin' herself, but I was too scared... I was scared out of my wits. Because the next thing I knew, I was in my room again, guitar in hand. How was it possible that I could go back in time? I knew what was going to happen next. I ran out of my room, saw my siblings playin' their fool game, saw the calendar, ran to Rikka's house, saw the funeral... It was happenin' all over again... This time, I tried a different tact - I took Rikka to a therapist right away. It didn't work... By the end of the month, she succumbed to Despair and turned into a Witch, Bellatosa, and I had to kill her... But my sufferin' didn't end there. All of a sudden, space warped around me and I found myself standin' once more in my room, guitar in hand, siblings outside my room playin' their fool game. Everythin' was repeatin' itself for one month, and I was trapped in it, aware that everythin' was replayin' in an endless loop. No one else knew about this, and I couldn't tell anyone cuz they might throw me into a mental hospital or somethin'."

"After that timeline, the rest passed by in a blur. I failed to save Rikka for around twenty times before I finally came up with a method to prevent her from going crazy. She was saved in that timeline, and I hoped and prayed that it wouldn't rewind to a month ago, but the blasted thing had a mind of its own and went back to the frickin' start. I tried that new method again, but it didn't work this time. And like that, I repeated the same thing over and over, sometimes succeedin' in savin' Rikka, other times, endin' up havin' to kill her because she turned into a Witch. I was goin' mad. I kept wonderin' when would this livin' nightmare end. I wanted to just save Rikka and stop this whole madness. But at the same time, I was scared that time would stop repeatin' in a timeline that I failed to save her. I wouldn't be able to face another day knowin' that I failed to keep my best friend alive."

"I lost track of how many times I redid the whole thing. But finally, _finally,_ one day, after Rikka had come out of her depression and was safe, time did not rewind. I couldn't believe it at first. I was expectin' to be dragged back to my room with my guitar in hand, but it didn't happen. It was so... _amazing_ to see a new day that had somethin' different in it... I-I can't describe my feelin's then, but-" Tera hastily wiped away a tear, her breath shuddering with the memory. Her elation when she realised she had survived the ordeal and saved Rikka from her death was extremely great, so much so that she cried pure tears of relief, and couldn't stop the overflowing emotions for a full week. But her story still had one last part to narrate. She gathered herself and sat up bravely, holding her head up high.

"...I have done my duty as friend and protector, but even so... Death loves Rikka more. She died today - her death was inevitable. It was as if the very God she worshipped wanted her dead. I only just prolonged her life..." Tera hung her head, shaking it slowly. She curled her fingernails into her thighs cruelly, holding back the choke in her throat. "S-So, I won't say that my efforts h-h-have been useless, c-cause they weren't, because R-Rikka lived happily for eight more months, and I loved every moment I s-spent with her! I l-love her so much, she was like family, but now s-she's gone... She- d-died...for good..." An unforgiving swell in her chest was all Tera need to start crying. She ground her fists hard into her lap, her breath rattling like badly-played xylophones.

Akira placed a hand on Tera's shoulder, her other hand going to the young girl's face to wipe away her tears gently. "Hush, you've done well, Tera-chan. Thank you for telling us," she said softly. Shika handed Tera a handkerchief, and the tiger took it wordlessly, smashing it into her face to muffle her sobs.

The Earth Elemental looked extremely disturbed. She watched through half-lidded eyes at her two friends, one comforting the other. Tera's story bore an uncanny resemblance to her own - time repeating itself while everyone else seemed not to realise it. What could this possibly mean?

Tera gave one loud hiccup and looked up, her eyes and nose red. In a failing voice, she said, "H-Hey, can I excuse myself for a m-mo? I need to t-t-throw myself dramatically onto the t-toilet sink and c-cry."

Akira and Shika looked nonplussed at the weird request, but they graciously allowed her to stand up and leave. The bathroom door slammed shut and violent honks followed.

"Shika, what do you think of Tera-san's story?" enquired Akira as soon as Tera was gone, wearing a concerned expression. "She isn't lying; there weren't any signs of it in her body language, and those tears were real. However, it's not the most plausible thing you'd hear either."

"Yeah," agreed Shika slowly. "Though, I do believe her. There is no doubt that what she says is true... because..."

She paused. Now was the time to tell Akira about her past, but was she ready to do it, and was her friend ready to learn of it?

"Because...?" pressed Akira, her curious nature arising. Gears in her mind clicked hurriedly. "Why do you readily believe in such a high tale of time travelling? Does this perhaps have something to do with your _own_ One Month?"

Shika tried not to show alarm at the mention of her experience eight months ago. "...What if I said it does?" she said levelly.

Akira's silvered brow knitted into a crease. "Then you would have to tell me the entire story right now. It has been put off for far too long. If you don't let it out, it'll be stuck in your chest forever, and it's going to affect you mentally. Freaking icestorms, it's _already_ affecting you. Do you have any idea how much I worry looking at you in this condition? You weren't like this last time. At least you could smile naturally, and not look like you're faking it. You're guarded, you don't talk as much as before, your posture has become more rigid, and your emotions have become... unpredictable." For a moment, Akira's steady demeanour wavered, and a sliver of fear and uncertainty showed in her face, but she hid it away with her long bangs. She tried to keep her cool, watching Shika pick at the lint on her skirt in agitation.

"When I look at you, I can't see Shika Kiyomizu anywhere. All I see is this... guarded, cagey, unemotional person who tries to fake her feelings so that others won't suspect a thing. Maybe you succeeded in tricking others, but not me. No, I can see that you've changed. There's something fiercely primordial within you now, and I don't know what it is, but it's scaring me, Shika. It's scaring me a lot... It feels like I'm _losing_ you to a monster..."

Akira swallowed back a choke, feeling her eardrums pop as the saliva travelled down her throat. Her hand reached out to clasp Shika's, as if for reassurance that her friend was still there with her. Shika automatically closed her fingers over Akira's, giving them a squeeze. She remained stubbornly mute.

A sense of panic threatened to overwhelm Akira at Shika's refusal to speak. She edged closer to her friend while still holding onto her hand, trying to make eye contact with her. "Hey, don't worry about whether I can handle your story or not because I'm a boring, logical person - I can, and I _will_ , if that's the main thing that's stopping you from telling me. I took Tera's story quite well, didn't I? It's up to you to open up and tell me about it. It's for your own sake. Please... I don't want to lose you. You're my best friend, and you know that."

Shika tried to steady her erratic breathing. Avoiding Akira's intense, melancholic gaze, she finally said in a clipped tone, "I can't. It's too... horrible to even think about it."

"Horrible as it is, you have to tell me," insisted Akira in a plea. "Even Tera-san managed it in the end after some hesitation. I know, you have Yuki to talk to and confide to, but there are limits to what she can do for you. No, I'm not looking down on your partner's abilities. She's an amazing friend, but she's only a dog. Do you understand, Shika?"

The green-haired girl sighed and looked at Yuki, who was lying in a corner of the room, digesting every single word.

 _"She's right, you know?"_ said the Shiba Inu through telepathy, cocking up her ears to show that she was alert. _"I'm only a dog. My duty is to be there for you when you need me, and to hear you out and comfort you in simple ways. To understand the human mind is out of my expertise. You're a very complex person, you know? Especially more so after the One Month. You changed. You need someone smart, who understands you, to help you. For example, let's see... Akira Oda."_

 _"But-"_

 _"Don't 'but' me, Shika. It's true, and that's that. Tell her. Be brave. Or you'll be screwed big time. What more after I die? Who will you talk to after that? I'm not exactly young anymore."_

Shika flinched at Yuki's blunt words. She stared at the calm white dog, who looked back at her with mellow brown eyes.

 _"Go on, tell Akira while Tera's still away. I know you're not comfortable with talking about it when the tiger girl is here, aren't you?"_ said Yuki, closing her eyelids and pretending to fall asleep. _"I know you can do it. I shall shuddup until you two finish talking, and congratulate you later."_

Any attempts to make her dog continue speaking to her were fruitless. Yuki ignored her totally.

Mustering whatever courage she possessed, Shika gazed at Akira, who was patiently waiting for a reply. Although her senior's face was half covered by hair, it still showed plenty of emotion, and right now, it was hope and sadness mashed together in an awkward dance for dominance. Shika made herself sit up straighter, her fingers nervously playing with the strands of hair on her shoulder-slung ponytail as she glanced at their interlaced fingers.

She couldn't let Akira suffer anymore. She knew that the heir to the Oda clan was worrying constantly about her, along with her own family problems and duties to the bloodline. She mustn't pile up her worries. It was just plain selfish of her, to know of this yet do nothing about it, and she did feel guilty about it. All because she was afraid to re-live her past.

 _I can do this..._ she thought to herself, tugging at her hair with increased fervour. _I cannot be selfish anymore. I cannot let Akira worry about me anymore._

"I'm ready," she said, in such a low tone that Akira almost didn't catch it. Her fingers left off playing with her ponytail and took Akira's hand away from hers gently. "However, how I tell my story would be different from Tera-san's. I don't trust myself to be able to speak fluently without breaking off. I'll need to connect our Soul Gems."

Akira nodded in relief, extending her ring hand. Her silver Gem materialised from the accessory, and she placed it on the floor between them. "Any way you wish to tell it, darling, I'm ready to hear it."

Her friend gave a humourless chuckle as she took out her green Gem, touching it to the silver one.

"Sorry, Akira, but you won't be hearing it... You'll be _experiencing_ it."


	35. Chapter 33 : The One Month of Hell (P2)

_You want to know what suffering is? I'll show you._

Tugging... swirling... pulling. A burst of colours, a twist of space. Darkness, light, black, white. Tumbling over in an endless void, Akira tried to distinguish top from bottom, left to right, but she was hopelessly disorientated. Where was she?

She looked around for her friend, but Shika was nowhere to be seen. Frantic, she called out, "Shika? Where are you? Where am I?"

A disembodied voice replied her, but it did not sound like Shika. It was deeper and more guttural, like a carnivorous animal. A chill passed through Akira's body as she listened to it.

 _"I am here with you, don't worry,"_ she said in that harsh voice. " _You just can't see me. Through the Soul Gem connection, I have linked our minds, so you can see into my memories. You are now in my mind, and are being pulled into the memory of the One Month. The confusion around you will clear up the nearer you get to it. When you're there, you will first see empty whiteness, which will slowly fade to the background of the first phase of the memory. Once the memory unfolds itself, you will find that you are a spectator of the events taking place there. You will have no power to move or speak when it is happening. There will be brief intervals of empty space when the memory transits to another, so you will be able to digest what you have seen. Watch and learn of the One Month. When it's over, you will be automatically taken out back to the real state."_

The voice echoed away, leaving Akira alone once more. Any tries to get it to talk again were not entertained. She closed her eye to avoid looking at the dizzying patterns, feeling ice flowers blossoming in her heart. It was not a nice thing to feel.

The _thing_ that talked to her was not Shika, she was certain of it. Its tone was so cold and flat, that even she felt frozen by its intensity, and that was a lot for someone who manipulated frigid ice. Also, there was something bestial about the voice. Akira couldn't comprehend why Shika's internal mind would speak like that, but she had no time to mull over it. A flash of white light burned through her closed eyelid, and she felt solid ground forming beneath her feet. Her hand instinctively shot to her forehead to shield her eyes as she squinted through it.

What she saw took her breath away.

 _Shika had never known pain of this degree. As she fell to her knees, with an arm clamped around her punctured torso, she strove to keep her eyes trained on her enemy. It was a hulking specimen of a Witch, a formless monstrosity with two large hands and no head. Its body was covered with long, onyx fur, and a single, twisted horn protruded from between the hands. It crawled sinuously on spindly legs that were otherwise too weak to support its hideous bulk._

 _Trapped in its barrier, which was a roiling disarray of black chaos, Shika could see no way out of this predicament. Her dog, Yuki, lay to one side, her tongue lolling out of her mouth. Dead. Collateral damage during the fight. She hefted herself up by pushing down on the handle of her warhammer. Her legs protested, her arms screamed no, and her backbone wailed, but she made herself stand. Searing pain arced through her whole body. Her vision was failing her. She couldn't see the Witch properly through the red haze that was beginning to cloud her sight._

 _Is this the end?_

 _Unwilling to accept her fate, Shika struggled to hold aloft her warhammer, but the effort caused her innards to spill out from the torn hole in her abdomen. Coughing blood, she tried to stop them from splashing over the glittering, galaxy-like floor, but she may as well give up. Jerking her head up in a mechanical fashion, she fixed one look of fear on the Witch that hunted her. Where it was faceless just moments ago, the Witch now sported a sabre-lined mouth, spreading it into a huge, perverse grin. Crazy, red-rimmed human eyes materialised above the ugly, cracked lips. Just looking at it made her want to shrink into herself and die._

 _Shika shook all over. It wasn't long now till she would succumb to overwhelming fear and pain. She was so scared for her life now, she literally couldn't move. Was this what people often called 'frozen in fear'?_

 _"I don't want to die... Please... Save me, someone..." she whimpered to herself, her grasp on the weapon handle slackening and sliding from the slippery blood on her hands. "Akira, I'm sorry..."_

 _'Sorry, darling, you say?'_

 _Shika stiffened at the sound of Akira's clear, modulated voice. Wasn't her friend overseas at Canada now? How could she be here, talking to her?_

 _'Contrary to belief, I'm right here, watching you, Shika.'_

 _The Puella Magi craned her neck with great difficulty, trying to see where the voice was coming from. "...Akira? Is that really you?"_

 _'Yes, dear. It's me. But don't hope that I'll help you. I hate getting my hands dirty. You're such a bore, you deserve to die.'_

 _"W-Wha-?" Shika was stung by the reply. She tried not to reel from the alarm, but hearing that come from her best friend was one of the most terrible shocks she could ever receive. She collapsed to her knees again, her grip on her warhammer lost as she let the weapon clatter to the floor. Her dulled eyes were wide with disbelief. She tried to speak, but only a strangulated gurgle came out of her mouth._

 _'Hmph. Pathetic. Been done in so quickly by a Witch? You really are useless. Why I teamed up with such a weakling like you is beyond me.'_

 _Shika refused to believe that it was Akira speaking to her. This must be some trick of the Witch, designed to unbalance and weaken her. She looked at the grinning face, and to her revulsion, it split into an even wider grin, saying, 'Oh, you realised that I'm talking to you, dear. Good. I'm borrowing this Witch's body momentarily just to kill you.'_

 _Her limbs felt extremely heavy all of a sudden. "Stop talking in Akira's voice," she muttered breathlessly, glaring at the Witch. "Don't you dare use my friend's voice like that..."_

 _'Oh! Brave words for one who's about to die,' cajoled the Witch in Akira's voice, her long hands reaching out to grab Shika. It picked her up like a monkey snatching up a fallen fruit. 'How noble of you to think about me when I'm about to kill you. However, this really is me, all the way from Canada. The Witch is merely my puppet.'_

 _Struggling feebly in the Witch's large palm, Shika kicked her legs uselessly in the air and tried to free herself, but it only caused her wound to enlarge. Blood was pouring out of her like a crimson river._

 _'Hush, darling, it's no use to oppose me,' tittered 'Akira'. 'You'll only cause yourself extra, unnecessary suffering. Look at all that blood. It's_ disgusting. _'_

 _"Shut up! Stop using Akira's voice!" screamed Shika, blood leaking down the sides of her mouth. Tears of pain ran down her face. She couldn't take it, Akira not caring for her at all. Weren't they friends? Akira wouldn't say something as mean as that..._

 _Or would she?_

 _'Awww, feeling hurt by me, are you?' she said in a mocking, honeyed tone. 'Yeah, you can't trust me, darling. I'm not your friend. And what do you mean, I should stop using my own voice? It's me, Shika. How can I_ not _use my own voice?'_

 _Shika gulped, tasting metallic blood. "R-Really...?"_

 _'Of course! Do I ever lie? Ugh, you're so daft. As well as lowly and disgusting. I don't even know why someone as rich and beautiful as me am friends with you. Look, I could talk to you all day, dear, but I rather not waste my time on you. I have other more important people to attend to. Why don't you kill yourself, since you're such a good-for-nothing? After you kill yourself, I promise to ah... dispose of your body properly, as a token of our old relationship.'_

 _"Kill myself...?" stammered Shika, feeling progressively weaker. Her blurred mind travelled back to the day when she tried to hang herself in her room._

 _She had wanted to die, didn't she? To escape from all her sufferings. And who stopped her?_

 _Akira Oda._

 _'Yeah, I stopped you from committing suicide, didn't I?' drawled 'Akira'. 'It's my fault that you have to suffer like this now. Terribly sorry about that, darling. I shouldn't have prevented you, if I knew what a useless lump you'd turn out to be. Go on then, you can kill yourself now. No one's gonna stop you. Need a way to kill yourself? How about a gun to the head? I can manage that for you.'_

 _A gun shimmered into existence in front of a very dazed Shika. She spoke in a trance. "Yeah, it was your fault that I'm suffering like this now... No one wants to be friends with me... Everyone looks down on me and bullies me... I'm poor and talentless... Maybe it's time I meet my family again..." Her hand reached out to grasp the gun._

 _'Yes, dear. A wise choice...' growled the Witch, the disguised voice breaking from the anticipation of her next victim. 'After you're dead, I'm free to live my own life, instead of trying to cheer up a loser like you. Go on, pull the trigger.'_

 _Shika raised the gun to her temple, her eyes sad but hard with hate. "Even you think of me that way, and I trusted you...! Well,_ go to hell, Akira _! If you want me dead, then I'll die, and make you regret! I'll make you guilty of causing my death!"_

 _With a mad shriek, she pulled the trigger._

Akira felt as if the bullet had gone straight through her own skull. She clutched at her chest, feeling her rapid, thumping heart as she sucked for air greedily. Wild-eyed, she looked around at the emptiness, shouting out, "What the hell was that?! Goddammit, this must have been fabricated! There's no way in hell I'd talk like that to you! Hell, I can't even possess a Witch's body if I wanted to. What nonsense is this-"

 _'It is not fabricated, Akira,'_ came the deep, not-quite-Shika's voice. Akira stopped her outburst, clenching her fists warily. _'Everything you saw is real. That was my first encounter with the Witch, Heinalo, who would become my mortal enemy, as Bellatosa was Tera-san's. If you recall, you had gone away on a business trip along with your parents to Canada during that one month, leaving me alone to face that monster.'_

 _'Heinalo has the ability to adopt the voices of the people that I care for, and use them to trick and hypnotise me into carrying out its bidding. Later on, it showed another ability - shape-shifting, you'll be able to see it soon. I was mentally weak then, and I easily fell prey to petty insults issued in your voice. I really believed that it was you, speaking to me via the Witch. I killed myself, believing that no one cared about me, and that I'd be better off dead. And that was how I died. I admit, I was foolish then.'_

Akira furrowed her brows, grudgingly. "I don't understand. If you had died... then why are you alive now?"

The voice chuckled with an eerie, sibilant hiss. _'Watch and understand, Akira. I will see you again once this memory is over.'_

"Hey, wait! I'm not done asking-" She reached out a hand, as if that could stop the voice from going away. Unwillingly, she was pulled into the next memory.

 _A cool breeze was tickling her cheeks as she opened her eyes. Murky banks of clouds hung low in the skies, dyed grey by the gloominess of late autumn. Already, the first large feathers of snow were falling around her like a halo. She found herself staring upwards into the never-ending vaults, where a plane was growing increasingly smaller as it travelled into the horizon. Her gloved hand was holding onto Yuki's leash, whereupon the dog was standing stock-still, staring out into the sky as well. Although the temperatures were near zero-degrees, Shika found herself starting to sweat._

 _How was it possible for her to be here, with Yuki alive beside her, when she had died barely a few minutes ago? Don't you just disappear forever after you die? Was there really such a thing as the afterlife, and this was what it looked like?_

 _She remembered fighting the Witch, being overwhelmed by it, and how it had talked to her in Akira's voice. It prompted her to kill herself at the end of the battle, and she had done it without hesitation. Shuddering, she pushed down all the raw feelings she had experienced during the fight, not wanting to think about the horrible ordeal. Maybe it was just a dream. Besides, Akira wouldn't talk to her like that... Would she?_

 _Exhaling, she hugged herself and rubbed her hands against her arms, watching the vapour trail out between her cold lips. Afterlife or not, one question was bugging her. Why was she here, of all places?_

 _Staring around at her surroundings, Shika noticed that she was standing in a large field a few hundred metres away from the Kazamino Central Airport. Confused, she dared to venture a thought that perhaps in the afterlife, people needed to take flights too, as illogical as that may sound. To where, she didn't know. Giving Yuki's leash a gentle tug, she led them off towards the airport. Perhaps she would get some answers there._

 _The airport was deliciously warm after the walk outside. Since pets were not allowed inside, Shika told Yuki to wait at the entrance for her. The Shiba Inu obliged without a word. Shaking off snow from her coat and stamping down her boots, she walked into the main terminal, where a host of busy people were walking towards their destinations purposefully. She immediately felt very small and nervous, looking at the sheer amount of humans congregated there. Aimless, with nowhere to go, she wandered around, feeling too scared to stop a random passerby to enquire about her existence. As her eyes drifted around the place, it landed on the row of world clocks._

 _TIME: 15:12:39 DATE: 29 OCTOBER_

Twenty-ninth October...?

 _Shika muffled a yelp by pressing a glove against her mouth. Wasn't it supposed to be almost December? The last time she checked the date, on the day she died, it was the twenty-third of November, in midwinter._

 _She bit on her hand, her mind working furiously. Why hadn't she noticed earlier that it was still autumn here, instead of winter? Something must have happened without her knowing how or why. She was getting more convinced that she was in the afterlife, where time moved differently._

 _A tap on her shoulder almost caused her to yell out loud. Twisting around to face the person, she blinked rapidly when she realised she knew who it was._

 _"Ryo...kun?" she murmured awkwardly, taking her hand away from her mouth. Ryo Izawa was a classmate of hers, and he was one of the rare breeds who did not take joy in picking at her. She was relieved yet apprehensive to see him here. "Did you die too?" asked Shika, staring him up and down, as if looking for some horrible wound or indication that he was dead._

 _He gave her a bemused look. "Huh? No, I'm very much alive, and so are you, Shika-san. Actually, I was on my way to the arrival terminal to pick up my brother. He just came back from America, and his flight's landing in another twenty minutes. I saw you, so I came over to... Hey, Shika-san?" He trailed off when he saw that his classmate was staring at him with a very weird look in her forest-green eyes. He waved a hand in front of her face._

 _"Yo, you alright? You look kinda pale," he said, bending down slightly to take a look at her features. They were drawn back and sallow, like she was in shock._

 _"What? Oh, err, sorry! I just got distracted," said Shika hurriedly, looking away to conceal an embarrassed blush._

 _"You sure? Did you get bullied by the guys again? I could rough 'em up for you if you want me to," offered the tall, lean boy, cracking his knuckles meaningfully._

 _"N-No thank you, I'm fine," she replied curtly, trying to edge away from him. His face was uncomfortably close to hers._

 _He looked slightly disappointed. Leaning back, he put his hands behind his head and said cheerily, "Well, if you ever need someone to give the bullies a lesson or two, you know who to call. Gotta go, Shika-san. Take care, and stay cute as always." He flashed her a mischievous grin, then with a salute, he loped off towards the arrival terminal._

 _"C-Cute?" choked Shika, her arms flapping beside her flusteredly. Ryo turned around and grinned, shrugging as he called out across the large room. "You_ are _cute. Don't know why you're still single. If you ever want a boyfriend, I'm open, although I'm not as cute as you are, haha!"_

 _Shika pursed her lips, drawing her scarf up higher to conceal her red-hot face. As soon as Ryo was out of sight, she pushed him out of her mind, sighed and looked at the world clocks again._

 _Twenty-ninth October..._

 _She felt about her pockets, suddenly realising that her phone was in it. She took it out and glanced at the screen. There was a message from Akira._

'My flight is about to take off. I'll send you an email once I reach Canada. Love you lots, take care, dear ~ xoxo'

 _Shika stared hard at the message, her eyebrows curved up in surprise. Didn't Akira already fly off to Canada? She was supposed to return soon, and Shika was supposed to meet her here on the third of December. Reading the message, she was involuntarily brought back to the battle with the Witch last night, and how it had talked to her in Akira's voice. Surely the kind, caring, and attentive Akira would not say those things to her?_

 _Her jaw dropped a few millimetres as her hand began to shake. She quickly pressed the lock screen button and shoved the phone back into her pocket as she gave jittery glances left and right._

 _"This cannot be," she whispered to herself, stress lines appearing on her forehead. She was perplexed and in shock. Suddenly, she found that she was doubting Akira. Doubting her own best friend. Afraid that she had been fooled by her all this while. On top of that, she had no idea how she had gone back in time, only to be revived after remembering her own death._

 _She began backing away from the main crowd, wide eyes darting around like a shocked deer. She accidentally bumped into a tall, mean-looking man, who gave her a reproving glare. He looked like the sort of person you'd see in a dirty back-alley, smoking weed and gambling. Or maybe that was just her imagination in fear-overdrive._

 _"Watch where yer goin', pup, or I'll beat ya up," he growled, raising a fist as if to hit her. Muscles bulged from beneath his sleeves. "See these babes? I ain't afraid to use 'em on liddle ladies too, so you just stan' there and I'll-"_

 _She didn't wait to see what he would do next. She ran. Turning her back from him, she stumbled a bit, bolted for the entrance, snatched up Yuki's leash from a hook and tugged her bewildered dog along for a good hundred metres back into the field before she finally stopped to catch her breath. She threw a frightened glance behind her to see if the man had chased after her, but there was no one about._

 _Breathing heavily, she clamped an arm around her abdomen, which had cramped up from the sprint. She winced as Yuki looked at her in concern, saying, "What happened, Shika? Why did you run all of a sudden?"_

 _"Man... wanted to beat me... for bumping into him," she panted. Waving a hand nonchalantly, she tried to reassure her dog that she was fine._

 _"By the way, Yuki, why are we here?" she asked, once she had regained her breath. She straightened up, taking stock of her surroundings._

 _"Eh?" The dog was surprised at the question. Her tail stopped its otherwise endless wagging. "We're here to send Akira off to Canada with her parents. You went in without me, walked out some minutes later and took us to this field here, saying you wanted to see her plane fly off. Then, you suddenly blanked out and led us back to the airport. And the next thing I knew, I was dragged back here, fit to choke. I don't fancy this weird exercise I'm getting, runnin' about like hares at a picnic."_

 _"But didn't Akira already go off to Canada? And didn't I die with you after failing to kill a Witch?"_

 _"Whazzat? I don't know what you're talkin' about - what Witch? And Akira was in your house just yesterday. Shika, are you daydreamin'? Girl, you might need some rest."_

 _"No, I'm not daydreaming... I just feel... Oh, nevermind." She unclipped Yuki's leash and rolled it into her pocket, looking up to the stale skies. Yuki looked up with her. A plane was beginning to take off, and she watched it leave the ground, humming vehemently as it fought with the gravity. It was soon flying away, becoming a small dot in the vast greyness._

 _"That should be Akira's plane," remarked the white dog. "Thirteen hours later, and she'd be in Canada, safe and sound. Let's go home now?"_

 _Shika nodded blankly. Nothing was making sense to her. If this wasn't the afterworld, and everyone was still alive and could see her, that meant that she undoubtedly alive. However, she remembered the sensation of dying as the bullet wound disabled all her bodily functions, as the blood drained out of her body. She remembered the mocking that Akira had given her. She remembered seeing Yuki's dead body in a corner of the barrier._

 _She had died, and so had Yuki. However, the dog didn't even remember fighting the Witch, much less dying._

 _But it was_ real _. It wasn't a dream, and she was absolutely sure of it._

Akira was speechless. Her lips parted, like she wanted to say something, but nothing came. Like Shika in the memory, she didn't know what to make of the experience. It was obvious that time had rewinded, from what she saw, but it still didn't make sense. How could someone come back to life and yet remember dying before that? Once you were dead, you were supposed to remain dead. But at the same time, Akira was relieved that Shika had come back to life.

If she had died while she was away in Canada... No, she couldn't even think about it.

 _'Surprised?'_ The voice was back.

"Yeah... I am." Akira cast about her warily, still trying to locate the origin of the voice. "But tell me this, Shika, what do _you_ think about this... this time-rewind thing?"

 _'As tempting it is to say that I was merely dreaming, and that no such thing as time-reversal is possible, I have to accept the fact that it did rewind itself, and by doing so, brought me back to life. When I asked you about it in the past via email exchange, you just told me to get some rest, and perhaps I was thinking too much.'_

"You sent me emails when I was in Canada? How come I don't remember such a thing?" said Akira, incredulous.

 _'Because in this timeline, I didn't send you any. Don't you recall getting mad at me for not sending you emails when you came back?'_

"Oh yes... I remember that very vividly. You scared the living daylights out of me when you didn't reply my emails. Why didn't you?" demanded Akira.

 _'I'll let the next vision answer that question. In the first timeline, when I first came back to life, I sent you a ton of emails, trying to get to the bottom of this mystery. You helped me as much as you could, but you know, you being a scientific and logical person, you kept telling me that I was going through post-traumatic stress.'_

"Huh, sounds like something I would definitely say..." she muttered.

 _'I didn't believe you entirely. I knew that what happened was real, but I couldn't exactly go around asking people if I had gone back in time. They'd send me to the psychiatric ward. So, as I struggled to cope with the unpleasant knowledge of knowing how dying felt like, and repeat one month's worth of events, I began to grow very wary. I'll stop here. The next memory is near.'_

Her voice faded off, leaving Akira alone again. The white-haired girl pondered about Shika's words, trying in vain to recall non-existent memories. Why could Shika remember things from past timelines, while she couldn't? Even Tera had that ability... In a way, it was a blessing to not remember. She couldn't imagine the agony of repeating one month of similar events for what seemed like eternity.

Shika and Tera had indeed gone through a lot.

 _Shika was curled up in her bed, her fingers playing agitatedly with her hair. She had just woke up from a nightmare. It was the Witch who had killed her in the past timeline, and it was showing her images of her dead family. They screamed like ghouls, trying to drag her into a fiery pit to burn her alive. It also showed her being bullied at school - her classmates throwing her bag and books into the lake, the boys harassing her for money, the girls making rude remarks about her old uniform. Everyone surged at her and grabbed her, ripping her into bits with small knives._

 _She shuddered._

 _"Yuki? Are you awake?" she said in a small voice._

 _The dog pricked up her ears. She was lying at Shika's feet. "Yeah, I'm awake. What's wrong?"_

 _"I'm scared."_

 _"What happened?"_

 _"I dreamt that I died."_

 _Yuki got up and padded over to Shika, plopping herself directly in front of her human friend. "Hey, don't worry, it was just a nightmare."_

 _"Mhmm... Sorry, Yuki. Let's go back to sleep."_

 _Not five minutes later, her Soul Gem began to hum alarmingly. She sat up, alert, watching a Witch's barrier descend around her room. Yuki was sitting up slowly, growling._

 _"It's a Witch. Hurry and activate your Magi power."_

 _She was about to do so when she saw a terribly familiar shape take form in front of her. To her utmost horror, the Witch was the very same one that had killed her one month ago. Unable to stop her shaking, she couldn't even summon up her magical energy to transform. The Witch fixed her diabolical eyes on her, grinning the same wide grin._

 _'Shika dear, what a surprise to see you awake!' it said, using Akira's voice again. 'I had wanted to creep up on you to ambush you in your sleep, but now it seems unnecessary.'_

 _"Y-You..." stammered Shika, shuffling further away from the monster. "W-Why are you here again?"_

 _'Again? I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about. We just met for the first time actually, dear.' The Witch edged closer on its spindly legs, arms reaching out for Shika. Yuki roared, pouncing upon the arm and biting into its hand._

 _"Shika! What are you doing?" barked the dog urgently. "Activate already- Yaaipp!" The dog was bashed away by a merciless swipe of the other hand. Before Shika could even cry out in distress, the Witch hefted its bulk and jumped upon the dog, crushing her to death._

 _Shika recoiled in terror, crying out for her dog, but there was no reply. She was dead._

 _The Witch snatched at Shika with her gnarly fingers, drawing her up to face her eye to eye. The girl didn't even struggle. Her entire body was paralysed with fear. 'Hmm? A Puella Magi who doesn't even fight? What a useless piece of trash," remarked 'Akira' carelessly. 'I bet your magical energy is pretty low too. Still, better than nothing.'_

 _The ruthless hands squeezed inwards, and there was an explosion of blood._

"Oh my god..." Akira slapped a hand across her mouth, feeling very sick. Her eye was watering. "Oh my god, what a terrible way to... God, I cannot take this..."

 _'I'm sorry you have to see me dying...'_ said the voice, for once almost sounding like Shika. _'But if you cannot take this, then the coming memories will be harder on you. Please, stay strong. Now that I let you into my memories, it will be hard to let you out before you have seen it all. We will bear this together, like you said... Right?'_

Akira managed a nod. "Right... I promised that I will help you. And I will fulfil that promise."

 _'I'm happy to hear that,'_ she said softly. _'Is there anything you needed explaining from this memory?'_

"About Yuki... Why didn't you just transform her to fight for you while you collected yourself?" enquired Akira, still a bit shaky from the previous vision. "I know that you were stuck there due to fear – who wouldn't? – but why didn't you engage Yuki? I've seen you activate her abilities without needing to place your Gem on her body."

 _'Do you recall the days when Yuki was still unable to fight?'_

Akira nodded. "Yes, I do. Just nine months ago, she was a normal Shiba Inu, not taking part in battles. When I came back from Canada and we fought a Witch together, you can say that I was surprised to see the dog as big as a horse and fighting like a wolf. Before that, Yuki was never a fighter. I remember asking you how you did it, enlarging her like that so that she could fight, but you just gave me a vague answer. Something like, you just discovered it accidentally."

 _'I was unsure of how to explain it to you that time. You can't say that it was an accident, but you can't say that it was by intention either. It will be explained in the next memory, though.'_

"How many memories are there?"

 _'A lot. I chose the important ones for you, so you won't need to stay here for longer than needed. The next one will be slightly different. Instead of a being a third-person spectator, you'll be hearing my narration, and seeing the unfolding events together with it.'_

"Fine by me... I dread to see you dying again," admitted Akira, staring at where she thought the voice was coming from. "I'm ready. Let me hear your narration."

Darkness covered Akira's sight, as the memory continued.

 _I'm alive again... How is this possible? Why am I back here, in the airport field? Yuki is at my feet, staring into the sky, as I am._

 _It's late autumn again, one month back in time. Need I go into the airport to check the date?_

 _I think I'd better._

 _I walk into the lobby area and look at the world clocks._

 _TIME : 15:12:39 DATE : 29 OCTOBER_

 _It's exactly the same as last time. I have been pulled back to one month ago again._

 _There's a tap on my shoulder. I look around to see Ryo standing there with a grin on his face. There he goes, telling me that he's here to pick up his brother from America. I excuse myself politely before he could start flirting with me. I don't want to start blushing like I did before._

 _Taking out my phone, I see the same message from Akira. While I was beginning to feel freaked out seeing the same things all over again, I managed to keep myself from going into a full-blown panic like last time. The same man whom I had bumped into last month walked past me, flexing his muscles. I stayed clear of him._

 _I hurried out to find Yuki sitting there waiting for me. I took her off towards the field, where I asked her if we had died. She gave me the same reply._

 _"Shika, are you daydreamin'? Girl, you might need some rest."_

 _No amount of rest was going to save me. It's happening all over again. Why am I being thrown back in time? Why does no one else remember but me?_

 _When I got back home, I took my journal and flipped through it. In the last timeline, I had neglected writing in it as I was too shaken by everything. But now, I think I'll continue my journal. I have a bad feeling that this wasn't going to be the last time I would see myself hurled back one month in time._

 _The writings stopped on the twenty-eighth of October. Yesterday. I quickly took a pencil and began scribbling in it:_

 _'Today is 29th Oct. I have been warped back in time from one month ago, i.e. from November. A Witch killed me and Yuki then, but now I'm here again, alive and recalling every single thing as if it had taken place just hours ago. It does feel like it happened hours ago, actually. This is horrible. I'm scared. Dying is terrible and painful. Why is this happening to me?'_

 _I broke off, unsure of what to write next. I left it alone._

 _Tomorrow, I would have to attend classes in school. My teacher would ask me why I look deathly pale. My classmates would make fun of my haggard looks. Ryo would saunter over and give me a keychain from America. At least, that's what I think will happen. If time is indeed rewinding itself, then everything should be the same._

 _It's just that no one would remember it._

 _The next day, my predictions came true. My teacher asked me why I looked deathly pale. My classmates made fun of my haggard looks. Ryo sauntered over and gave me a keychain from America._

 _I noted all of this down in my journal. Who knows I might need the information later?_

 _But then again, if time really did warp back, would my writings be lost too? I decided to just continue writing. Even if it weren't brought back with me, keeping a tab on the daily happenings has a way of keeping me calm._

 _For one week, everything was uneventful. I decided to send some emails to Akira, asking the same questions from before. I got the same answers. On the payday for my rent, the landlord came bursting into the house like he did last time, waving the bills in my face. On the tenth November, there was a snowstorm. On the fifteenth November, Ryo gave me a call to hang out together. On the seventeenth November, someone left a box of kittens outside my house._

 _I am now very convinced that I am stuck in the flow of time. The events that took place this month was a paper copy of the past._

 _I won't deny it. I am scared. I am scared out of my wits. Because that would mean the Witch that killed me would be back near the end of November. Would I succumb to fear and die again, or would I be better prepared, now that I know its tricks?_

 _It was now twenty-third of November. I had a nightmare. It was the same one I had before the Witch ambushed me. This must be it. The Witch must be coming soon._

 _I transformed, urging Yuki to run into the forest to hide. She stubbornly refused._

 _The Witch came very suddenly this time. It smashed down upon us, laughing. This time, it used a different voice. It made my blood boil._

 _It was talking in my mother's voice._

 _I was angry. I didn't know what was happening. I fought it like a mad beast, paying no heed to my own safety. It was the wrong move. With no strategy in mind, I was beaten to the ground._

 _And... no... It's taunting me... It's mocking me in my mother's voice. My father's voice... My dead brother's voice... Akira's voice... It's using the voices of everyone I love to mock me!_

 _Stop! Stop talking!_

 _Ugh! It's snatched me up again! I can't b-breathe! It's squeezing me...! Ugghhh! Aaagghhh!_

Akira jammed her palms to her ears as the terrifying sound of snapping and breaking bones, followed by an unpleasant squelch and piercing scream blasted around her. Gasping, she bent over on her knees as the scream died away, her single eye wide with shock.

"W-What the hell?! Why are you dying again?! Shika? Oh god, this is awful!" she cried, collapsing to her feet and burying her face in her hands. "Please tell me it's going to end. I can't bear to see or hear you dying anymore, Shika. Please!" she sobbed, tears dripping down her nose.

 _'It's hard, isn't it?'_ said deep-Shika, her own voice a bit wavery. _'There's not much more. I know it's hard on you. It's much harder for me, since I'm the one experiencing it...'_

"Shika... why didn't you tell me about this earlier? How could you bear all of this by yourself?" shouted Akira, balling her fists in anger. "Did you not trust me to believe you? Did you think that I'd sweep you aside and leave you to suffer alone?"

 _'I have no doubt that you'll help me, but Akira...'_ She paused, and for a second, Akira could make out a hazy outline of a person standing in front of her. _'I was afraid I'd burden you with this. You have enough problems already, dealing with your family issues. Besides... I was afraid you'd laugh at me and stop being my friend, thinking that I'm mad, and be happy to get me off of you. Also, in all the emails we exchanged, you seemed so sceptical, I was afraid I'd lose your friendship due to my 'insanity'. When the Witch spoke with your voice, it impacted me quite severely...'_

The storm-eyed girl wiped away her tears indignantly. "Just because a stupid Witch used my voice to mock you, doesn't mean that I feel that way towards you. As for being sceptical about things, since when _wasn't_ I? And you don't need to worry about burdening me, because what are friends for if we can't share our problems?"

The hazy outline buzzed in a static. _'You know me. I don't like to share my problems with others... including you. I'm sorry, Akira. I'm sorry for making you worry. I really am. I'm just so awkward when it comes to talking about my feelings.'_

Akira adjusted her legs beneath her, sitting in seiza. Sniffling, she tried to regain some of her dignity. "It's alright. You finally opened up to me, and that's all that matters." Then, in a softer tone, she added, "I'm just glad you're still alive. That's all."

Shika remained silent. The outline became clearer, and Akira could distinguish a humanoid shape. It spoke quietly. _'There's still a bit more to the memory. It will be seen in a third-person perspective again, and is quite jumpy, lengthy and fragmented... Also, don't be shocked when you see how I change over the timelines.'_

"I'll try not to." Akira made peace with herself, readying her mind to accept the next chunk of memories.

 ** _Timeline 4:_**

 _The moment she regained her consciousness, Shika went straight back home with Yuki, not bothering to walk back into the airport. She checked her journal. It stopped at the twenty-eighth of October, so that meant that her dutiful recording in the last timeline was fruitless. Nonetheless, she would keep it up just to calm her fraying nerves._

 _Now, she began to worry. She didn't walk back into the airport, so that meant she didn't meet Ryo. Would that change something in the future? She hoped not._

 _The rest of the month passed by as usual. Shika was mentally preparing herself to meet Heinalo, training hard by herself by locating Wraith bands and the occasional Witch. Maybe if she reacted quickly enough this time, she'd be able to kill her opponent before it even got to her._

 _But something unexpected happened. The Witch came earlier than she liked. Shika was caught off guard, and utterly defeated by her foe._

 _Status : DEAD_

 ** _Timeline 5 :_**

 _Shika was shocked. Heinalo had come before the predicted date. Did that have something to do with not meeting Ryo in the airport? She decided to just go in and be 'surprised' by him._

 _This time, events took a different turn. Ryo invited her to follow him to meet her brother, since she was in no hurry anywhere. She was doubtful of accepting the offer. Would this change the arrival date of the Witch too?_

 _Nonetheless, Shika followed him, glad to have some company. For the rest of the month, Ryo got close to her, and she was happy to have him with her. She felt safe with him, like she did with Akira._

 _But she let her guard down. Heinalo had lured Ryo into her barrier as a trap for Shika, and she had fallen into it stupidly. She was forced to see Ryo eaten alive by the Witch. Going into a rage, she attacked the Witch blindly, but was defeated in the end._

 _Status : DEAD_

 ** _Timeline 6 :_**

 _Shika felt tears prick at the backs of her eyes as she recalled Ryo being slain. No, this time, she mustn't get him involved. She entered the airport, let him greet her, then refused flatly to follow him. If she didn't get close to him, then the Witch wouldn't have anyone to bait her into its trap._

 _She continued her training, discovering plenty of new tricks and magics. But this time, she felt painfully alone. She didn't contact Akira anymore, knowing that the replies she would get were the same as before. Besides, if she did not maintain her relationship with Akira, that would mean when the Witch used Akira's voice on her, it wouldn't have much of an impact. She didn't have Ryo to talk to, and she had no other friends besides Yuki. Was this the right choice for this timeline? Was isolating herself from human contact a wise choice?_

 _She decided to go along with it just for this timeline. After it was over, she could easily mend the bridges between them again. Antisocial as she was, she still needed a friend or two._

 _She could give herself no quarter for messing up again. She must not die anymore. It was too painful, and to remember it was equally torturous. She was going crazy thinking about it. Besides, what would happen if time did not rewind after she died? She'd stay dead forever, and what would Akira think? She would be alone, and she would have no one to turn to anymore._

 _No, she must try and survive this for Akira's sake._

 _The Witch came on the same date as the first timeline. So that meant that meeting with Ryo in the airport, and denying his offer to tag along was essential in setting the appearance date of Heinalo. However, this time, the Witch looked different. Instead of its monstrous form, it took on Akira's shape. Unable to fight her best friend, Shika was killed by the very rapiers that often accompanied her in battle._

 _Status : DEAD_

 ** _Timeline 7 :_**

 _Shocked by having been killed by Akira, Shika forgot to meet Ryo at the airport. She stumbled back home and locked herself in her room, eyes wide with barely-contained terror. It was taking a toll on her mental health, dying repeatedly like this. What more, she had been killed by the person she trusted most._

 _Hungering for social contact, she finally caved in and emailed Akira, wanting to prove to herself that Akira still loved her and would never consider killing her. To her relief, Akira replied something very different this time, and she hugged the phone close to heart, as if taking comfort from the words. Maybe it was so because she sent an email that was different in nature. Also, she made an effort to meet up with Ryo because, in all honesty, she enjoyed the time spent together in timeline five with him. It was sad in a way that he did not remember their friendship from then, but it couldn't be helped. He was pleasantly surprised to see her, and she felt pleasantly comfortable with him._

 _Feeling better, Shika commenced her training again. She was not getting any stronger though. Frustrated that there was no improvement over the timelines, she was afraid she may not be able to defeat the Witch. On the thirteenth November, she took Yuki out with her on a Witch hunt on a whim. She knew this Witch well. It appeared in every single timeline on the same day and time, regardless of other events, and she always used it for her training._

 _Somehow or other, during her Magi activation, the Witch surprised her, causing her Soul Gem to fly out of her hands. Yuki ran after it, picking it up in her jaws to return it to her mistress. By this time, the Witch was raising a hand to grab at a hapless Shika. And at that moment, through an emotional flux and undying love for her mistress, Yuki transformed, absorbing some of the Gem's magic to turn herself into a beast the size of a large horse. With enhanced speed and strength, and with the new ability of being able to kill Witches like a Puella Magi, the canine tore into the monster before it could harm Shika._

 _Thus began a new chapter of training for Shika. After the battle was over, Yuki automatically switched to her normal form. When Shika tried to enlarge her again, it didn't work._

 _For the rest of the month, Shika tried over and over again to transform Yuki, without much success. Because she didn't meet Ryo at the start of the timeline, that would mean that Heinalo's arrival was unpredictable. She would have to be on full alert at all times._

 _She sent a final email to Akira, saying that she was the best friend she ever had, and should she never see her again when she returned from Canada, she was sorry. It was the closest she ever got to crying then. As for Ryo, she thought recklessly, 'Well, if time is about to rewind and there's a high chance I'm dying again, I'll just let him know that I fancy him cause he won't remember it anyways.' She jabbed the send button and threw the phone away, blushing hard. He then replied that he had already fancied her from the start._

 _At least there was still some joy here in living hell._

 _When Heinalo came, it was not in a shape that she anticipated. It was now using Ryo's body. Shocked to see him, she was taunted into bad form and killed by the boy she thought had cared for her._

 _Status : DEAD_

 ** _Timeline 8 :_**

 _Enough was enough for Shika. Being killed by two of the people she loved twice in a row was maddening. She stormed into the airport, said a very cold 'Hello' to Ryo and went back home. She did not bother emailing Akira. She did not answer her phone when Ryo called her out of concern._

 _If the Witch was going to manifest in the body of her close friends, what was the point of having them? If she did not emotionally attach herself to anyone, then the Witch wouldn't be able to exploit them to kill her. Also, she eliminated any thoughts of her dead family, for bringing them up would give more chances for the Witch to use them. Her heart was hardening. If Heinalo was using her emotions to toy with her, then she would retaliate by not presenting her emotions at all._

 _It was hard, not keeping contact with them. Every time she almost messaged them, she stopped herself. When Yuki asked why she was distancing herself like this, she did not reply._

 _Continuing with her training regime, she now brought Yuki along on every excursion. Sometimes, she managed to transform her. Other times, not so. But she was not about to give up. Yuki had tremendous power, and it greatly helped her in battle._

 _Although having been detached from her friends for a month, Shika found herself still feeling fazed when Heinalo appeared in the form of Akira. She tried to transform Yuki, but could not do so. Forced to face Akira again, the battle was long and unpleasant. The end result was the same. She was overpowered by the Witch and her minions and destroyed._

 _Status : DEAD_

 ** _Timeline 18 :_**

 _She had come a long way from the first timeline. Ever since timeline eight, she had not contacted Akira nor Ryo, and this resulted in Heinalo appearing in her beast form._

 _Shika was beginning to feel her emotions slip away from her. It was making her go crazy. Unpleasant thoughts drifted around her head constantly, and suicide was always on her mind. Already, she had committed suicide in three past timelines just to end it all, only to find herself revived in another. Shuddering as she recalled the sensation of being hanged, being shot and being cut, she glared outside her room window, awaiting Heinalo's attack that was scheduled to happen tonight._

 _Even if it came at her in Akira's form now, she would have no qualms in hurting her. Who was Akira to her anyways? It had been so long, they might as well have never met._

 _By now, she could easily transform Yuki. All she needed to do was to touch her Soul Gem to her dog and imagine her in battle form and will it to happen, and it always succeeded. She could even manipulate Yuki's size, and for extra magic, she could put armour and fang-and-claw enhancements on her battle companion. Being a battle expert by now, she learnt how to control her magic usage so that her Soul Gem did not corrupt so quickly. Her earth-controlling skills were also improving. While it had been a chore to move a table-sized slab of earth last time, now it was like a breeze of fresh air._

 _When the Witch came in Akira's body, Shika threw herself at it, riding upon Yuki, with such ferocity that there was actually a small window for her own survival. But at a crucial moment, she faltered at the killing blow, still unable to destroy her once-best-friend. It cost her her life._

 _Status : DEAD_

 ** _Timeline 41 :_**

 _Suicide and death by Witch were coming hand-in-hand by now. Sometimes, she would kill herself before the Witch even came. Other times, she would kill herself in front of the Witch out of blind fury. And most of the times, the Witch would just end up killing her if she hadn't already committed suicide._

 _Dying had become a natural thing for her._

 _Every day, she would walk around with a murderous edge in her green irises. If anyone attempted to talk to her, she would glare at them until they receded nervously. She would stare into space mindlessly, thinking about nothing. She did not pay attention in class; she did not bother with club activities; she did not want any social contact with anyone._

 _As a result, her classmates shied away from her. Her teachers sent her off to counselling. Her neighbours threatened to report her to the mental hospital._

 _She had become a depressed, hostile freak in their eyes._

 _So what? Who needed friends if they came to kill you? Who needed emotions if they were used to mentally shatter you? She was fine being alone, completely emotionless._

 _Heinalo was surprised to see that Shika no longer responded to taunts issued in her friends and family's voices. When she attacked the Magi in Akira's form, Shika retaliated twice as hard. Her face was deadly saturnine, her eyes were like steel gimlets. There was no sign of fear in her expression, nor hate, rage, or sadness._

 _She was empty._

 _Unable to target Shika's weaknesses, the Witch fell to the warhammer, and was buried under the vengeful earth._

 _Finally._

 _Breathing heavily, Shika stared at the spot where the Witch had sunk, feeling nothing at all._

 _Status : ALIVE_

 ** _Timeline 68 :_**

 _The days were passing by mindlessly. Ever since her first victory against the Witch, she began to have renewed hope for survival. She stopped killing herself needlessly. Once in a while, she would think about Akira, usually when she received emails from her, asking how she was, and why wasn't she replying. But she didn't know how to respond to Akira. She was obviously not alright, and she didn't want to respond for fear of rekindling their old friendship and having it exploited against her._

 _In the end, she ignored the emails, though she made sure to keep them safe in her inbox._

 _Sometimes, she thought about her own emotions, and it felt like to have them again. As long as she was trapped in this never-ending loop, she could not afford to have emotions for fear that the Witch would begin using them against her again... So she pushed away such thoughts, and curled up in her ratty old sofa, staring at nothing._

 _Status : ALIVE_

 ** _Timeline 87 :_**

 _How many timelines had she gone through now? She had no way of telling._

 _When would it all end? She had no idea._

 _Now that she could kill the Witch easily, she began to grow comfortable with her school mates again. They still bullied her though, but she no longer let that get to her. Ryo was still trying to make advances on her, but she let them slip. She had no interest in romance now... Perhaps even for good._

 _Teachers stopped thinking she needed counselling. Neighbours stopped threatening to send her to the mental hospital. Everything was seemingly smoothing out back to normal, and Heinalo was just another normal Witch who needed exterminating._

 _She began to email Akira again, and instead of talking about depressing things, she tried to have normal conversations with her. It was hard at first, trying to learn how to socialise all over again. But Akira was very supportive, and somehow understood that Shika was going through a difficult period in her life._

 _A warm feeling spread through her body while reading Akira's messages. However, she had no name for it. She didn't know what feelings they were._

 _She really hated Heinalo for doing this to her._

 _Status : ALIVE_

 ** _Timeline 99 :_**

 _She had killed Heinalo so many times now, she could have achieved it in her sleep. She was still very much detached from her emotions, though she could see an improvement now. Every timeline, she would chat about different topics with Akira, so as to expose herself to more feelings and expressions. It was like she had become an infant, having to learn everything again._

 _Her relationship with Akira was mending quickly. There were still some times where she was awkward and said weird things, but Akira seemed not to mind. But, with each step she made to getting closer with Akira, she began to feel fearful that Heinalo would be able to use that closeness to kill her._

 _The Witch came in Akira's form again that month, presumably because of their reformed bond. By now, Shika had killed 'Akira' so many times, she was no longer afraid to go all out on her. But in this timeline, she could not bring herself to raise her warhammer against the shape-shifting fiend._

 _There was hesitation in her heart again after re-establishing her friendship with Akira. And that was enough to kill her._

 _Status : DEAD_

 ** _Timeline ? :_**

 _After that episode of being killed by her mortal enemy, Shika stopped emailing Akira again. She prayed and prayed that the loop would end. If not, she might start committing suicide again out of sheer madness._

 _The torture was real. Without Akira to talk to, the days became long and daunting, and people started to avoid her again._

 _Not letting any of this affect her, Shika concentrated on her training, telling herself that this would be the final timeline. She would need to survive this. She cannot fail. This was the final timeline. And after that, she can go back to being normal._

 _That is, if she ever remembered how to be normal._

 _...She knew she was lying to herself. The probability of time rewinding itself was ninety-nine percent. But it was a reassurance nonetheless, and she needed reassurance now - the end of the month was drawing nearer._

 _Result : UNKNOWN_

It was a lot of information to process. Akira stared at the space in front of her knees as she remained in seiza, her forehead wrinkling up.

 _' I know... It's a lot to digest, and perhaps not as interesting to watch as the previous ones, but did you get all of that?'_

Looking up, Akira half-expected to see Shika there, but was greeted by a flickering green-black haze. She nodded. "Yeah, I think I understood what happened, but it ended abruptly. What happened at the end of that timeline?" Ever objective, she wanted to tie up the story first before voicing any thoughts.

The green-black haze shimmered slightly, condensing briefly into a humanoid shape before falling apart again. _'That was the last timeline I went through. I killed the Witch for good, and survived to see the next month. I survived to see you come back from Canada too...'_

Akira smiled slightly at how the voice had become increasingly similar to Shika's.

Deep down, she was very disturbed by what she had seen. Witnessing Shika break down emotionally like that and commit suicide repeatedly... it was horrifying. _How could someone do that to herself, and still seem so sane?_ But she kept calm. If she couldn't stay calm watching this, then who would help Shika?

"Is there anything more to the memory, Shika dear?" asked Akira softly, gazing directly at the green-black haze.

It flickered, as if trying to take shape but couldn't. _'That's the end of the visible memory. After the month ended, I was so relieved. But weirdly enough... I felt no joy. I felt nothing beside from the initial onset of relief. I was horrified. Had I lost all sense of emotion? I couldn't even cry anymore, let alone smile properly. I was so detached from everyone and everything... But even so, I didn't feel sad, nor angry about it. I was just fine. And that scared me, being fine. I should have been freaked out after losing my emotions, but no. I did not even care about them.'_

 _'I spent an equivalent of_ eight _years emotionally isolated from everyone. I died repeatedly from being killed by people I love; I killed myself repeatedly just to avoid that and because I was getting mad from it all, and to save myself from that... I reduced myself to a mindless husk. To save myself from dying, I had to stop being human, and I threw away everything unnecessary for my survival. I cut myself off from everyone I loved, so that they may not hurt me in the Witch's form, and so that I won't hurt them if I ever die for good. I gradually lost myself to that long war. That is why, when you returned to Japan and I greeted you, I seemed off and distant - not myself. Do you remember that, Akira?'_

The white-haired girl acknowledged the truth of Shika's words. "Yes, I do. You had not contacted me at all for a month, so I assumed something had happened to you to cause you to be like that. When I asked you what happened though, you brushed me aside. But now I know..." The expression in her single grey eye softened. "I'm sorry. I failed to notice your suffering. I was not a good friend to you. Instead of pressing for replies when I was in Canada, I cut you off completely when you did not reply me. I assumed that you needed time alone, and respected that you didn't want to talk to me."

 _'It's not your fault, Akira.'_ The green haze floated closer to Akira. When she looked up, Akira could almost make out a face. _'As you saw just now,_ I _cut you off, not the other way around. I was the one at fault. Don't blame yourself for what happened to me. I brought it upon myself... All those unstable emotions I experienced after you came back; the blank stare that I always wear; that so-called scary face and dead eyes... But hey, you helped me get back some of my lost emotions unknowingly. You taught me to feel again, and I'm still learning. And... you also helped me to cry again, at the Central Park... If it weren't for you, I'd be dead inside forever. So... thank you.'_

Tears were pooling in Akira's eyes. She blinked them away and managed a smile, then stood up slowly. "For as long as you need me, I will be by your side. Even if it takes a lifetime to get your emotions back, I will help you... By the way, you never told me you had a crush on Ryo Izawa, you cheeky deer," she said with a feeble grin in an attempt to lighten the mood.

The green haze followed her upwards movement, shimmering as if in embarrassment. _'I-I can have secrets of my own, c-can't I? Besides, I'm over him already...'_

"Are you now?" replied Akira with a weak smirk. "That aside, is there anything else you want me to see before you kick me out of your brain?"

The haze was solidifying rapidly into a peculiar shape, glad to have the topic changed. _'I do have one last thing to show you. We all have an inner form, our psyche, and it manifests in a shape that best suits our internal and external personality,'_ she said, as Akira involuntarily took a step back in surprise at the gathering haze. _'It takes a long time to discover it, and it is a surprise when you do. Not many people can actually find their inner selves.'_

 _'After revisiting my memories and learning more about myself, I understand now what had happened that morning, when we went to scout out Homura Akemi's warehouse. I went stiff after looking inside, remember? Something in that place had resonated with me and called out for me, and that something is linked to what I am becoming now inside...'_ Her sentence broke off, unsure of itself. The haze was getting denser and more visible. _'At first, I had not wanted to show you my inner self because... it's highly unpleasant. However, after re-experiencing my own life with you, I decided to let you see it because I trust in you. But... you_ will _be shocked. Do you still want to see it? You can say no.'_

Shika's words caused the hairs on the nape of Akira's neck to prick up. Nonetheless, she gathered her courage and said boldly, "Yes, show me your inner form. If all of us have one, then we shouldn't be afraid to let each other know."

 _'I thought you'd say that,'_ she chuckled. _'One day, you must show me your inner form too, when you've discovered it...'_

"Of course I will, don't you worry," said Akira, giving a reassuring nod.

The haze that was Shika shone brightly with Akira's trust in her, and swirled into a huge pillar, blasting wind in all directions. Blobs of black matter flew at the haze and crashed into it, sending sparks flying. Limbs, wings and torso were squelching into being with each collision, turning into a thing of nightmares. A final screeching blast of wind raised a cloud of black dust around the newly-formed creature, obscuring it from view.

Strong wing beats were heard behind the clouds. With the dust billowing over her, Akira shielded her face with her arms, gasping reflexively as she beheld the being that hovered silently not two feet away from her, dark, membranous appendages outspread on either side.

She had the form of a hybrid beast, a human-dragon with trailing, patchy wings, claws as long as swords and spiny horns protruding from the back of her head. Luminescent green-black scales ran down her shoulders to her thighs, and she wore black, feathery garments that spilled behind her like a fairy tale gone awry. All around her, there was a sinking black aura. Although her facial features were the same as in real life, one could tell that she was no longer human. Akira felt a shock-wave of energy and destruction discharge from the creature, and stumbled back, feeling overwhelmed and scared by its presence, even though she knew it was her friend.

Her slanted eyes were hard and slitted. When she opened her mouth, it was lined with fangs. As she exhaled, smoke swarmed out from her nostrils.

She was inhuman.

And she said, with a finality in her voice, _'I am... Corruption itself.'_


	36. Chapter 34 : Awakening

_If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us shall we not revenge?_ ~William Shakespeare

Akira stumbled backwards unconsciously, making some distance between herself and the draconic monster.

"Shika...?" she breathed in disbelief, "Please tell me that's not you."

The creature landed on her feet in front of Akira with a solemn expression. _'It_ is _me. And there's one thing I must tell you before I stop our mental link.'_

"What is it? Shika, I'm worried... What is happening to you?" Worried, dismayed and curious at the same time, Akira took a step forwards, extending a wary arm towards her friend. Shika looked down at the trembling hand, hesitated a while, then held out her claws, gently touching Akira's fingers.

The grey-eyed girl seemed to relax at the small gesture, and held onto the long claw, gazing resolutely at Shika. "Tell me. I need to know."

The Earth Magi fixed her reptilian eyes on the floor between them, as if reluctant to speak. _'This creature you see here... it is actually the incomplete form of my...'_

Tera sniffed loudly for one last time before she finally forced herself to exit the bathroom. Her face was a mess and her eyes and nose were so red, she could have been Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. (But she didn't mind, 'cuz Rudolph is such a cute lil' bugger anyways'. At least, that was how she tried to cheer herself up.) Swallowing a sob, she made her way back to the living room, wanting someone to comfort her.

Plopping herself back on the floor in front of her two seniors, she was about to make a remark when she noticed that both their eyes were shut tight. Their silver and green Soul Gems pulsed in a synchronized pattern, seemingly connected to each other via thin, shining strands.

"Senpai...?" Tera warily moved closer to them, unsure if she should do something or leave them alone. "Uhh, can you hear me? Akira-senpai? Shika-senpai...?" She waved a hand in front of them uselessly.

Pursing her lips, she slouched over moodily and stared at the two Gems. Whatever was happening between them, she was missing out on it. Maybe... if she placed her Gem next to theirs, she'd be able to see what was going on?

Hastily, she took off her ring, which promptly transformed into a semi-dulled orange Soul Gem, and put it next to the shining strands.

There wasn't even time for her to jump away. The strands snapped away from each other with a load bang and blasted the three Gems apart, raising a cloud of black dust. Akira and Shika's eyes flew open and they both gasped as if in shock.

" _Hellstorms_ , what the _heck_ happened?!" exclaimed Akira, looking disorientated.

Shika blinked rapidly. "O-Our connection was lost... I don't know why..."

Then, Akira noticed Tera chewing down hard on her lip, a guilty look crossing her tigerish features.

"What did you do, Aido?" demanded the older girl while trying to locate her Soul Gem. It was blasted onto the kitchen counter, glittering innocently. She stood up swiftly and retrieved it, picking up Shika's and Tera's Gems as well and depositing them in front of her friends.

Shika gave Tera a long, hard stare, noticing the orange Gem. "Tell me what you did, Tera-san."

Tera curled up into herself, feeling extremely scared. Shika looked like the personification of a thunderstorm from hell. "I came outta of the washroom and saw you guys with your eyes shut, so I was curious what was happenin'. Then I saw your Gems together and thought if I put mine there too, I'd be able to join in..." Her voice failed her and she simply looked down at the floor.

Shika sighed. "We were sharing a mental link. Your Soul Gem intruded upon ours and disconnected the link abruptly..." Her features clouded over darkly. "Tera-san, this link between Akira and I is private, so if it senses an outside party, it will snap to maintain our secrecy. That was why the strands exploded, to prevent you from entering the link... Next time, don't pry."

The tiger felt her insides flip like an acrobat. "I'm sorry... I had no idea."

Shika merely stared back, her eyes lighting up unnervingly.

Akira looked back and forth between her two friends, feeling the tension rise. She had to intercept, especially now when Shika was in a dangerous mood.

"It's alright, Tera-san, you didn't know and you were just curious," said Akira hurriedly, patting the younger girl's hand. "You didn't see anything, did you?" She was hoping fervently that Tera didn't.

The tiger shook her head mutely, and the older girl felt relieved.

Akira then glanced at Shika, saying carefully, "Shika, it's fine. Nothing was revealed. She didn't mean to intrude."

"As I said before, curiosity kills the cat," replied Shika with a point-blank glare at Tera, making the other girl flinch. Without another word and ignoring Akira, she got up and exited the house through the front door, closing it after her. Yuki hurriedly followed through the garden path, anxious about her mistress.

"Shika!" cried out Akira in exasperation. She made to go after her, but her Soul Gem pulsed suddenly. She glanced at it.

 _Don't follow me._

She fell back down on her knees, feeling nothing but disbelief.

Shika was pushing her away again.

Limp with anguish, she covered her face with a hand and tried not to choke on the rising pressure in her windpipe.

"Senpai, are you okay...?" mewed Tera nervously, edging closer to Akira.

"No... I'm not." Akira was barely keeping herself together. After witnessing all the horrendous memories of her friend, she was shaken. And now, Shika had taken off in a show of anger and she couldn't do anything about it. She couldn't even calm her down.

She had failed her best friend.

Akira suddenly felt Tera hugging her. Reluctantly, she allowed herself to stay in her junior's arms, crying silent tears.

Shika walked very slowly, a hand on Yuki's neck as her fingers played with her dog's fur. No doubt Akira was now thinking that she had become an emotionless monster. For her to snap at Tera and rudely stop Akira from following her, she was truly cold-blooded.

 _I'm sorry, Akira,_ she thought, and wished that she had to courage to tell that to Akira's face.

Saying sorry was harder than taking her own life.

However, it was not like she was _completely_ devoid of emotions. She still felt sadness, happiness, anger, fear and nervousness once in a while. And she could still genuinely worry about Akira and Tera's well-being. She could reflect on her own thoughtless actions that may have hurt them, and try to not repeat them. Surely, if you lost all your emotions, you wouldn't be able to do so?

Shika found that her feet had taken her all the way to the Kazamino Central Park. Stunned, she wondered how she could have gotten there without knowing it. She stared up into the sky, searching the cloudy vaults for stars. She loved to stare at them, those small twinkling objects, because they told her that even the faintest of lights could shine in the darkest of nights.

But there were none tonight. Maybe those lights had somehow lost to the expansive darkness.

Sighing, she led Yuki in through the main gateway and they headed towards the lake, where they had first met Tera a few days back during the Water Festival. It seemed so long ago, like a foolish, happy memory.

Sitting down on an ornate bench, she stared across the softly lapping waters, with Yuki next to her. Her mind was blank. She didn't know what to think now that she was out, away from Akira and Tera.

Eventually, her mind wandered to her Soul Gem in the ring holder. Lately, the patterns around the ring had been changing, and she didn't like it. The runes were shifting into something weird, something that was not her name... and yet she knew what it was. She knew the name that was being etched across her ring, right above her own name, like as if she were being crossed out and replaced by the monster within her.

Was this her destiny, to be consumed by her own darkness, like how the smallest stars were inevitably swallowed by the eternal night?

She shivered and drew her legs up, hugging them close. Resting her chin on her knees, she stared blankly at the runes.

 _ **DR...K...D**_

 _As far as she knew, her name did not consist of the letters 'D' or 'R'._

Her mind soon emptied itself, not wanting to linger on the unpleasant runes, and a new problem arose. How was she going to explain to Akira about her creature-form? She hadn't managed to tell her about it due to the link breaking, but no doubt Akira would ask about it as soon as she could.

The only thing was, she didn't know how to approach it without shocking Akira again. Her friend was already badly shaken from the dreadful scenes in her memory, and she hated to scare her even more. Knowing Akira and her ways of pretending to be calm and collected in stressful situations, she didn't want to force Akira into acting like she was fine when she was not.

Learning about her true form was an inescapable fate, and all Puella Magi would face their inner-selves sooner or later... Or did they not?

Maybe it was just her. Akira had certainly not told her about any such thing, and she was not the type to keep such important facts to herself. Her question now was this – Would all Puella Magi discover their inner-selves and be prepared for what awaited them at the peak of their Corruption?

"Wondering about your fate, Shika Kiyomizu?" A familiar deep, rich voice sounded from behind her. Immediately, she lowered her legs and spun around, her eyes scanning the muted landscape, her mind forming an image of a large purple Incubator. Yuki growled around her, hackles rising.

"I know you," said Shika, trying to sound confident, "You're that Incubator that I met in the World Between Worlds. You made me summon the Goddess..."

"How nice of you to remember me," chuckled the Incubator. He leapt down from a nearby tree and landed neatly on his four paws, shaking his ruffled mane. "I apologise if I left abruptly that day without a single word. You see, I was in a hurry. But forget that..." His eyes gleamed like liquid amethyst. "I have been constantly observing you in the shadows, and the findings have been exciting so far. Do you want me to share them with you?"

He stood there so proudly, his regal head raised high as if mocking Shika and daring her to refuse. Yuki snarled, looking ready to tear him to bits, but he didn't even flinch. Biting down on her lip, Shika hooked a finger around Yuki's collar to prevent her agitated dog from pouncing on the alien-cat, and said cautiously, "Tell me what you've found out, Incubator."

"Ah, I have a name. Call me Ryubey," he grinned, licking his prominent fangs. "And I would be happy to enlighten you about them!"

Homura was sitting on her bed, holding onto a sleeping Madoka's cold hand when a Clara doll popped out of nowhere. It turned a cartwheel in front of her, then stood up smartly to attention, gabbling something rapidly. The Demon nodded, then with a wave of her hand and a satisfied smirk, she sent the Clara doll off. Getting up, she tucked Madoka in more comfortably, then walked to the teleport portal in her living room.

Shika Kiyomizu was alone at the Central Park, seemingly upset about something; Tera Aido was badly hurt, physically and emotionally after the fight with her beloved, now-deceased Rikka; Akira Oda was mentally shaken after sharing a memory with Shika and looked in no condition to think straight.

Now was the perfect time to strike. She would catch them at their weakest moments and kill them for good. Then no one would be able to get between her and Madoka. She would start with the passive Earth Elemental, followed by the annoying tiger girl, and lastly, the formidable cryomancer.

She smiled evilly, stepping through the portal that would bring her to the Kazamino Central Park. Very soon, her nightmares will end, and there would be no one left to oppose her. Madoka will stay human forever, and she didn't give a damn if that meant the eventual destruction of all Puella Magi on Earth.

"Have you ever wondered why you're still alive to this day, Shika Kiyomizu?" said Ryubey, staring at her piercingly. "You're seventeen, well beyond the average survival age of a normal Puella Magi. Why is it that you're not succumbing to despair, or getting yourself killed by a Witch?"

Shika went slightly rigid at his question, staring at him with a penetrating gaze. "I don't know. You tell me."

He chuckled, licking his fangs. "That's a nice reply. I like straightforward beings like you." Sitting up straight, he said with a solemn tone, "Listen carefully, Earth Shaker. Your karmic lines are immensely powerful, bordering on Goddess level, and this is all because of you experiencing the time warp eight months ago."

The green-haired girl tried not to show distress at his words, but her voice betrayed all. "How did you know about my past life?" she demanded all too quickly, thrusting herself forward to face Ryubey directly. Demons danced in her eyes, but the cat was unfazed.

"I am the true leader of the Incubators, Earth Shaker. I have my ways of gathering information," he said with a smile. "Do not interrupt until I'm done talking... alright?"

Feeling too cautious to argue, Shika decided to play along for now, as she had done with him in the World Between Worlds. He may yet provide her with another important piece of information.

"As I was saying, your karmic lines are powerful due to your experience back then. The fact that you managed to remember the time-rewind when no one else save Tera Aido and the Demon herself could, shows that you already hold vast amounts of magical energy. However, what makes you different from the Fire Singer is that you grew exponentially in strength, while the tiger's abilities remained somewhat stagnant."

"To add on to that, you managed to survive what the average person couldn't. Killing yourself, your friend and your enemy over and over again, and in the process, honing your combat skills to legendary levels and finding yourself a fighting partner in your dog... who would have imagined that a person as quiet and timid as you could have achieved all that? A normal person would have outright _died_ from the stress, don't you agree?"

"I would have died if time didn't rewind itself," replied Shika blandly. "Sometimes, I wish I had died rather than continue living like a breathing corpse, remembering all those ghastly memories. I'm sure you agree that death is a kinder option for me..."

"I wouldn't say so." Ryubey shook his luscious mane once. "If you had died, then we would have lost a great warrior. Who would lead the charge against the Demon's army if you weren't here? Sure, Akira Oda is an invaluable ally and strategist and may look like a good leader, but she lacks the grit and determination, unlike you. Her morality and sense of duty is too high for her to commit actions that are otherwise crooked, and this battle that we're fighting is indeed _highly crooked_. You, on the other hand, wouldn't hesitate to kill someone that deserves to die... won't you? You've even taken your own life multiple times, and that's going against the law of any religion."

"I'm not exactly religious," Shika said with a frown. "Ever since my parents died, I've been cursing the existence of a so-called God. If God did exist, and I broke His law, then I'll go ahead and rot in His Hell, then bust myself out and kill Him. What sort of God would torture their creations just because He fancied it? Hence, if someone deserves to die, I'll kill her without hesitation, cause I'm not afraid of any judgement."

Ryubey crooned. "I like how you can speak your mind so honestly and harshly. Do you always talk like this?"

"No, I never talked like this before. You're the second witness, after Yuki." Shika looked over at her dog, who was whining. "It's just easier to talk to animals than humans. I find I can be completely honest with them."

"Ah, so can you be completely honest with me now, Earth Shaker?" questioned Ryubey, his fangs shining as he grinned.

"Depends," answered Shika. This Incubator was definitely different from Kyubey.

"Hear me out. Your destiny has been written so that you will never be able to truly die. It has become obvious to you, hasn't it? Even if you try to kill yourself, people will thwart your plans. Akira Oda saved your life when you were younger. The time warp brought you back to life even when you didn't want to live again. And right now, the Demon wants to kill you, but she's not likely to succeed. So, an entity like you who cannot die through normal methods, if given the chance to slay the Demon and restore the Goddess, Madokami, to her Law of Cycles, would you do that? The Goddess may finally pity your fate and allow you a swift death. It's a win-win situation. We Incubators get our entropy, you get your wish to die. You _do_ still want to die, don't you?" said Ryubey, his mane bristling with anticipation.

"I'm not interested in dying right now."

"Hmm?" Ryubey was taken aback by the immediate, clipped answer. He quickly recomposed himself. "You told me just now that you'd rather have died than continue living like this. Besides, I believe that only you have the potential to restore the Goddess to her throne. Out of the three of you Elementals, you're the one whose karmic destiny is the highest, automatically making you the Messiah of Puella Magi, the _Saviour_. I'm not sure what that means yet, but you are playing an active role in determining the future of the world, whether you like it or not."

Shika groaned. "Right now, I'd very much like to live, at least until I've uncovered the mystery of my experience eight months ago... Also, as I've once told Kyubey, I'm not interested in all this Messiah business. All I'll agree to do for you is to kill the Demon, and that's that. Go find yourself another Messiah."

She paused, then narrowed her eyes at Ryubey. Madokami had called her an Angel, _her_ Angel, and she would never betray her Goddess, unlike the invisible God that she had forsaken long ago. Whatever Ryubey was playing at, he seemed to be egging her on to take Madokami back to the Law of Cycles. For what reason, she was unsure of, but it would be anything but noble.

"You're being very suspicious, Ryubey... Why are you so desperate for me to restore the Goddess to her Law of Cycles? As far as I'm concerned, the Law doesn't contribute a thing to your precious entropy, and in fact goes against it. Wouldn't that be bad for you Incubators, seeing as you're all entropy-mad cats?" said Shika in a stinging tone. It hit home, irking Ryubey.

"Do not speak of the Entropy like that, Shika Kiyomizu," growled Ryubey warningly. "It is a sacred force that keeps the universe going, and you know that. If it means sacrificing a Goddess to ensure the correct flow of entropy, then so be it!"

"You mean to murder her, don't you?" snarled Shika, feeling a sudden sense of protectiveness for the pink-haired Goddess. "My job is to restore her to the Law and Cycles and protect her, not allow you to kill her. If you so much as lay a paw on her, I, as her Angel of Battle, will not hesitate to kill you..."

" _Her_ Angel of Battle? Hah! You amuse me so, human," hissed Ryubey. "Since when had you become hers to command? Was it ever since you met her in the World Between Worlds? The Goddess, for all her innocent looks, is destroying the universe and brainwashing stupid individuals like you to protect her. Angel or not, you are still _our_ Messiah, and you're destined to restore Madokami so that we Incubators can restrain her and maintain the balance of entropy. It is for that reason that Homura Akemi is your enemy. She seeks to curb Madoka Kaname from Awakening to her Goddess powers once again, so that she may lead a normal life. You, on the other hand, who are destined as her Angel, will do whatever it takes to save her and restore the Law of Cycles. We Incubators will simply wait it out and see who wins. Either way, whichever party loses, we will still get our paws on the Goddess. Madokami must not be allowed to exist if we are to preserve entropy."

"You bastard!" growled Shika, standing up. Yuki bared her teeth at Ryubey, ready to pounce at the word. "You tricked me into bringing you along to the World Between Worlds so that you could prove the existence of Madokami and plot her death. Well, you'll never achieve that as long as I'm alive! I will not allow you Incubators to destroy the hope of all Puella Magi, because I _am_ the chosen one - the one who will stop your plans, kill the Demon and restore the Goddess!"

"Naïve girl!" huffed Ryubey, his fangs glittering perilously. "Just a moment ago, you wanted to die, so I gave you an option of how to achieve it, but now you're fighting to live? You humans never stop amusing me so! Hah! So be it, do as you like, but remember this, Earth Shaker, I will return and by then, I won't be as amiable as I am now if you are to disobey me again."

Shika's eyes glinted like hard-edged diamonds, burning up with intense determination.

"I will _never_ obey you."

The Incubator gave a disdainful sigh. "Let's hope you've changed your mind by the time I come back for you... And about something you've said earlier, yes, I agree that death is indeed a kinder option for someone with a fate like yours."

Purple energy shimmered around him and suddenly, he was gone. Yuki flattened her ears in surprise, while Shika stared in confusion at the spot where he was standing at just a millisecond ago.

"Someone with a fate like mine..." repeated Shika under her breath, slowly sitting back down on the bench. "Ugh..." She hunched over and curled up, her mind racing with thoughts. Yuki rubbed her head against Shika's side, trying to console her mistress.

"He said I couldn't die. Can I even trust in such a crazy idea?" she whispered, not lifting her head to meet Yuki's gaze.

"No idea, Shika," whined Yuki. "But don't you dare go around trying to kill yourself just to prove it. I know you enough to tell that you'd actually do such a thing."

Abruptly, the girl stood up and walked over to the lake's edge, her features set in grim stone. "What if I jumped in now and drowned myself? I'd be dead that way, won't I? No one's here now besides you, Yuki, and you wouldn't be able to save me if I tied you to a tree..."

"H-Hey, Shika, don't do such a crazy thing!" barked Yuki in fear, running ahead of her mistress in hopes of stopping her in her tracks.

"I'm just testing it out," she said coldly. "If Ryubey lied to me, then I'll probably be dead after a few minutes. If he was telling the truth, someone or something will appear to stop me from jumping."

"Don't do it, Shika! Don't jump! You might really die!" yelped Yuki helplessly as Shika tied her down to a sturdy tree. She barked uselessly, paws clawing at the leash to free herself.

"At this point, I don't give a damn anymore..." Staring down into the black water, Shika was about to plunge in when a familiar voice seeped into her very being like a warm hearth-fire.

"Shika? Why are you standing there...?"

Whipping her head around, she saw Akira and Tera standing eight feet behind her, both looking extremely pale. Yuki barked loudly, whining and tugging at her leash and looking over to her direction, relieved that someone had come.

She had been stopped from killing herself. Ryubey was right.

Choking, a sudden wave of emotion threatened to overtake her. She turned her back on them and continued to stare downwards at the choppy liquids, cursing her fate.

"Shika, are you okay?" said Akira softly, walking over and circling an arm around her friend's shoulders.

The physical contact seemed to snap her out of her maddened mood. Throwing herself into Akira's arms, Shika hugged her best friend tightly, burying her face into her chest. Akira's face registered a moment of shock, but it quickly turned into that of compassion.

"I'm sorry, Akira. I'm sorry for being so mean," she whispered, grinding her teeth hard together to stop herself from crying. "I'm sorry for being so selfish and heartless and walking out on you... I'm so sorry..."

The older girl was surprised by the sudden apology and lost her tongue, only managing to hug Shika back. Tera shuffled around, jerking her head at Akira to say something back.

"It's alright. You don't need to apologise. I understand," said Akira soothingly, patting Shika's back. "As long as you're safe, then no harm was done."

Tera nodded eagerly, feeling thankful that Shika was fine. "Yes, as long as you're fine, senpai. I shan't ever pry again, promise!"

Shika took in a few deep breaths, trying to stabilise her emotions. The fire and ice Elementals let her be, allowing her time to gather herself. When she finally felt calm enough, Shika took a step back from Akira and said quietly, "You located me through our Soul Link, didn't you?"

"What other way could there be, dear?" sighed Akira. "I was just too worried about you, and so was Tera-san... I'm sorry if I intruded on something private."

Shika shook her head, thinking about how close she was to dying again. "No, you came at the right time. Thanks for worrying."

"Woof!" Yuki gave a shrill bark and surged forwards, finally snapping the leash. She bounded over to Shika and licked her hand affectionately, whining all the time. Akira noticed the extreme level of relief coming from the Shiba Inu, and could only guess that something horrible had almost happened to Shika. She decided to not ask.

"Senpai, you wanna go home now?" asked Tera, looking hopefully at her senior. "You need a break and some attention, and so do I and Akira-senpai. Let's not hang around here in the dark... It's creepy."

"Tera-san is right. We should go home, Shika darling. It's not safe to linger around outside..." Akira's words trailed off, and she snapped her head to the left. She urgently pulled Tera to her side and grabbed Shika's arm protectively, dropping her voice to an undertone. "Someone is behind us. Be on the alert..."

A low chuckle floated through the night air like an evil chime. Awesome raven wings unfurled into the sky, and a gloved hand swept aside long, shining hair of the darkest black.

"I had wanted to catch you alone, one by one, but it seems that you're all here together," came a voice dripping with malice. "It just makes my work that much easier..."

Knowing that they had been seen, Akira faced Homura with a savage expression, still holding onto her two friends defensively. "Do your worst, Demon. We will not go down easily!"

"Did I ever say I was going to kill you personally?" teased Homura, her fingers going to her lips playfully. A wide grin plastered itself onto her face as a portal the size of the lake opened up behind her. Hundreds of arms reached out, each holding a crudely fashioned weapon. They seemed to be held back by an invisible force, as they could be seen to be pressing hard against the portal exit.

Tera bristled at the sight, hiding behind Akira at once. "Holy fudge, those arms are rottin'!" she hissed to her two friends. "What the frick are they?!"

" _God knows!_ " said Akira, feeling slightly freaked out herself.

Homura seemed to be enjoying herself. Their distress brought her satisfaction. But Shika Kiyomizu didn't seem to be disturbed.

"What purpose do you have in digging up the bodies of the damned and sending them here?" demanded the Earth Shaker, looking outraged. "How could you reanimate the dead and disrupt their peace?!"

"Huh, why are you so worked up over a few dead bodies?" drawled Homura. "They're already dead, so they should at least do something useful rather than rot in the earth."

"D-Dead bodies?" gulped Tera, her pupils dilating with terror. "I'm no good with dead bodies, hell no!"

"Shush, Aido!" snapped Akira, trying to maintain her cool. "Gather your wits about you! This is a battleground, not an amusement park!"

Homura smirked. "I guessed that if I couldn't hurt you, then perhaps these _zombies_ can. Isn't it just _sick_ to kill another human? Huh? Whoops, I forgot, they're actually already _dead_. Haha!"

"Hellstorms! You'll pay for this sacrilege, Demon!" shouted Akira, trembling with rage and injustice. She transformed into her Puella Magi garb, twin rapiers materialising from the moisture in the summer air.

"Akira-senpai! You're gonna fight that mob?! You can't, there's too many of 'em!" cried Tera, thoroughly frightened and weak at the knees. She was hyperventilating, and her earlier loss of blood from fighting Bellatosa was making it worse.

"What choice do we have?" she snarled in reply, readying her weapons. The crowd behind the portal wailed chillingly, poorly made spears jabbing in all directions.

Homura smiled even wider. "Think of your condition before charging in, Akira Oda. Tera Aido is obviously in no condition to fight, Shika Kiyomizu is conflicted and confused, and you yourself are mentally disturbed. It would be suicide to attack now... But then, it doesn't seem as if you have a choice." She laughed as Akira recoiled from the comment, shaking her head scornfully. "Pitiful. Before you die though, let me tell you something that might interest you..."

She stared pointedly at Shika and Tera. "Earth and Fire Elemental, do you know what caused you to repeat the events of one month last time?"

By now, Shika was transformed as well, her hands gripping the handle of her warhammer like a clamp. "No, I don't. If you do, please tell me about it," she snarled. Tera licked her lips nervously, trying to force herself to transform and contribute to the conversation, but felt too frightened and dizzy to do so.

"When I was a normal Puella Magi, I had the ability to turn back one month's worth of time. I did that to save someone that I love very much. No one was supposed to remember time rewinding itself, but you two obviously did..." She continued to stare at them, wanting to unnerve the two girls.

Shika could feel her blood rushing through her veins and arteries, pumping adrenaline into every part of her body. If Homura was trying to scare her, she was failing. "So it was you who caused it..." she seethed, eyes widening with anger.

"Yes, it was me who caused you to suffer," said Homura matter-of-factly, addressing Shika directly. "But by doing so, I created an enemy without me knowing. Because you could remember time rewinding itself, you grew stronger in ability with each repeat, and your hatred for the person who caused it grew. I made myself a formidable foe by accident. So now, I'm telling you this – I am the one who caused you pain _. I am your enemy_."

She grinned insanely, stretching her lips to the max.

" _Don't you want to kill me now?"_

With a maddened shriek, Shika tore herself away from her trio and charged at the Demon, warhammer dragging at the soil and uprooting the grass. Yuki shot after her, howling the bloodhound's hunting call.

"No, Shika! It's a trap!" screamed Akira, horrified by the Demon's confession. All the pieces of the puzzle were falling into place now. Shika's internal hatred for the Demon was not unbased. It was rightfully so. She ran towards her friend, heart beating furiously.

"H-H-Hey! No, don't fight! _Senpai, you'll die!_ " Tera screeched, tears running down her cheeks. "Ugh, stupid Soul Gem, _activate_! Let me transform!" Hitting her Gem on the ground fruitlessly, Tera fought to keep her tears down as she tried to transform, but she was indeed at her limit.

Homura laughed uproariously, withdrawing a Grief Seed from her Dark Orb. Throwing it onto the ground, it promptly hatched, enveloping the whole of the Central Park in a desolate barrier, dark and damp. Runes of the lizard Witch's name, Mir, hovered around for a second before dissolving into the background.

"Die, all of you! _Die_! Ahahahaha!" With a snap of her fingers, the portal behind her exploded, belching out the undead. They yowled and wailed, running at their foes with thirsty bloodlust.

Shika ran forth with scary determination, her very soul on fire. Zombies either fell to her warhammer like leaves in a hurricane, or were mauled to pieces by the huge, beast-like dog running next to her. She had only one aim, and that was to reach Homura and slay her.

"Shika, watch where you're going!" yelled Akira, slashing at a zombie before it could jab her through her midriff. "Don't let yourself be taken over by blind fury! Agh!"

Distracted by her concern for her friend, she had failed to notice the Witch's gecko Familiar jump at her. She toppled over, wrestling with the monster as it sought to tear her throat out with its tiny fangs.

" _Akira-senpai!_ " Seeing Akira in trouble was all Tera needed to finally force herself into action. Transforming, she swiftly set her claws on fire and jumped at the wriggling reptile. She flung it away with all her strength, aiming it at a group of zombies dashing towards them. She hit true, the gecko exploding into flames upon contact.

"Are you okay, senpai?" panted Tera, feeling woozy from the exertion. "Dammit, I don't feel too well..."

"Thanks, Tera-san... Don't push yourself, you've already lost a lot of blood from fighting the Witch in the forest. Stay back and try not to engage anything in battle! I'm going after Shika!" Giving Tera a quick pat on the head, she turned and chased after her friend, who was now far ahead.

The Witch, Mir, ogled her round eyes at Tera, drooling a foul-smelling saliva. She shuffled forwards, flattening a few corpses while flicking her blue tongue in and out. The tiger girl backed away, flexing her claws and gritting her teeth together hard.

"You tell me to stay out of trouble, but that's somethin' impossible, senpai," she laughed mirthlessly to herself. She tilted her head up to face the gigantic Witch, roaring her challenge with quavering bravado. "I am Tera Aido, MMA master and judo expert! I'll show ya what I'm made of, or die tryin' in a blaze o' glory!"

Akira heard Tera's challenge, and bit back a cry of helplessness. Between her two friends, Shika was more precious to her, and she could not allow her die. While Tera was equally important, her priority was now her only best friend in the world. She only hoped that Tera would manage to hold her own against the Witch.

Making such an upsetting decision was rending her heart in two.

Twirling around swiftly to avoid two zombies, she ploughed on, her increasing worry for her friend starting to take a toll on her fighting abilities. A spear nicked her on the arm, while a sword slashed her thigh lightly. A sabre caught her across her back and a halberd almost chopped her in half. Gasping from the shock of pain, she drove her rapiers into her assailants and tore through them all, only to be attacked by another mob.

Hissing through her teeth, her rapiers spun gory patterns of blood and ice in the space above the battlefield. Getting more and more frantic, Akira's intellect failed her for the first time. Unable to think straight, with only panic rising up her chest, she fumbled with her blades. The zombies moaned around her, grabbing at her with their dead hands. Scared stiff, Akira did something she had never done before.

The cryomancer dropped her rappers in total defeat and fell to her knees. She clapped her hands to either sides of her head and screamed the scream of a trapped animal.

Meanwhile, Shika was still bulling her way through the throngs of rotting corpses, trying desperately to reach Homura. "Stop hiding and face me, Demon!" shouted Shika angrily, her face stained with dried blood. "You will pay for what you've done to me!"

"Ah, you shouldn't be prioritizing on killing me now, Earth Shaker," laughed Homura, her voice booming out from the sky itself. "Your friends are about to die, and all you care about is hunting me down? _Tactless. Foolish_. I thought killing all three of you together would be more challenging but it seems to be the other way around."

Shika gave a Familiar a hefty whack on the head, glaring upwards where she thought Homura was. "What are you talking abo-"

A piercing scream blasted into her ears. Her boiling blood ran cold at once, and her breath stuck in her airway. Without hesitation, she turned around and hopped neatly atop Yuki, all thoughts concerning Homura thrown away to the winds. "Go, Yuki! _Run_! Go to Akira!" she urged, fear clawing at her insides like a shredder machine. Sprinting and knocking away foes like a juggernaut, the monster dog howled like a banshee as she galloped back towards their friend. Above them, Homura's laughter intensified.

"Run! Go back to your precious Akira! Hahahaha!"

They neared where Akira was. A mound of zombies and lizard Familiars were heaped into a small hill. Ice spikes jutted up all around, with some unlucky bastards speared onto them.

 _Was Akira under them?_

It was too horrifying a thought. Abandoning her own safety, Shika dismounted and leapt atop the mound, battering away the bodies with a crazed fire in her eyes.

" _Monsters! Murderers!_ Get off of my friend!" she cried in anguish. "Akira? _Akira_! _Akira, can you hear me_?!"

Body parts flew left and right as Shika continued her onslaught, with Yuki handling the other zombies and Familiars coming at them.

Her warhammer landed on something hard. It gave a ping and recoiled on her, but she shook off the impact, peering through the bodies to take a look at the hard object.

She almost screamed.

Akira had set up an ice barrier around herself before the zombies could consume her, but she looked utterly torn up and bloodied. There was not a single part of her that was not covered in red.

Shika had no time to save Akira from her icy tomb. Another shriek stabbed at her like a knife, and she instinctively looked towards the sound. Mir was suddenly towering over them, and in her snaggled mouth was Tera. A bloody claw was hanging out limply.

Horror took hold of Shika. She didn't know how to react. A hand suddenly closed itself over her ankle and yanked hard on it, sending her tumbling down the hill of flesh.

Mir loomed over her, parting her jaws slightly in a reptilian grin. Loosened from the hold, Tera slipped out from between the teeth and landed on top of Shika. She was covered in saliva and blood and was unconscious.

"Tera-san...? Tera-san, are you still alive? _Tera-san!_ " said Shika in alarm, her voice breaking from the stress.

There was no response.

Homura's laughter pelted down on her like a mocking rain. "No one opposes me and lives to tell the tale! Your friends are goners. All I have left to deal with is _you_!"

Never before had Shika felt so much hate and torment in her soul, not even during the One Month of Hell. A primordial energy surged through her, filling her with an ungodly amount of determination and hatred.

She gently took Tera's body off of her and lay her down next to Akira's ice tomb. When she looked up, her irises were glowing in a deadly shade of green.

" _I will not let them die_..." Her voice was as hard as stone. She picked up her warhammer and stood up straight, glaring at the Witch. Earthen spikes erupted mercilessly from the ground and slew whatever remaining zombies there were around her. Sheets of earth then raised themselves over the forms of her two friends, encasing them protectively.

" _I will kill you..._ " A shimmering aura surrounded Shika. Her pupils narrowed into slits. Green wings of pure energy burst from her back. Armoured plates ran down her body. Feathers trailed behind her like a bird of paradise's tail. The Witch hissed sibilantly at her, backing away nervously on her stubby feet.

Homura gave an involuntary gasp at the transformation. It broke her concentration and revealed her location, atop the Witch's head. "What _are_ you...?" she murmured, drawing her lips back in a snarl.

Staring calmly back at her enemy, Shika smiled in answer.

" _Your worst nightmare...!"_

 **Hello, my dear readers! I hope you're all doing fine. I want to thank you all for reading up to this point even when I had not updated in a long time, and without letting you guys know too. For that, I'm very sorry.. But now, I'll try and do weekly updates again!  
I hope you enjoyed the chapter! What did you think about it? I would be happy to receive any feedback ^^  
Have a nice day!**

 **~Saithe**


	37. Chapter 35 : Angel of Battle

The barrierscape of the lizard Witch, Mir, suddenly took on a deathly atmosphere. It wasn't because the Witch had called upon for more Familiars to defend herself, nor was it because of the ugly sea of undead constantly pouring out of Homura's portal.

No, it was the Magi and her dog, standing in the centre of all the carnage. Her wings glowed a brilliant white-green, her eyes shone like a carnivore on the hunt... She looked extremely dangerous.

And she _was_ dangerous.

A shockwave of air blasted in a circle around Shika, splitting the ground beneath her with its sheer force. Bodies were ripped apart by flying shards of stones and earth. Mir howled in fear and scrabbled back to avoid getting hit.

"What are you doing, you stupid Witch?!" screamed Homura, hitting its head ruthlessly with her bow. "Don't run! _Fight her_!"

But the Witch could not be placated. She reared up on her hind legs and shrieked, further incensed by Homura's command. She took off on an ambling run, frothing at the mouth from naked terror.

Shika could not help grinning. This was the first time a Witch was running away from her, and she somewhat _revelled_ in it. "Yuki, take care of the undead and the Familiars," she urged. "I'll be going for the Demon and the Witch."

The Shiba Inu roared her approval. Without a moment to lose, she pounced at the nearest zombies, squashing them under her fearsome claws. Familiars fell to her fangs like meat in a grinder.

Launching into the air, Shika flew towards her enemies at an alarming speed. Her warhammer grew larger and larger as she neared her objective. Readying her weapon, she smashed into the Witch's scaly side, toppling her off balance. With inhuman strength, she threw the warhammer down upon Mir's flat skull.

Homura would have been destroyed at once had she not rolled off the Witch's head in time. Mir, however, was not so fortunate. The warhammer shattered the skull and caved into her brain, splattering blood everywhere. The Witch clawed at her ruined head, trying to dislodge the hammer. It only succeeded in scrambling her head organs further, causing her to go insane.

Through her clouding reptilian eyes, Mir watched as Shika landed gracefully in front of her, wearing the most fearsome expression.

" _Die."_

The warhammer crackled with fierce electricity. Ripples of blinding white energy exploded from the core of her weapon and engulfed the Witch in a deadly net of lightning, frying her alive. Mir shrieked and howled, convulsing in all sorts of hideous manners.

Shika wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Tch. Disgusting." Increasing the voltage of her attack, the electricity took on a lethal blue hue. Mir all but blew up from the tension, her flesh and blood showering down on the Elemental Magi. Shika calmly retrieved her weapon from the pile of gore.

Homura witnessed it all with wide eyes. Her whole body was shaking.

 _What sort of monster was Shika Kiyomizu?_

The barrier dissipated along with any remaining familiars, but the zombies were still here. Yuki was a distance away, harassing the undead to prevent them from going over to her mistress. With the Witch gone, Shika turned her wrathful eyes upon the Demon. Homura cringed at the glare.

"You're next," hissed Shika, advancing slowly upon her sworn enemy.

Not waiting to see what the Magi would do to her, Homura forced herself up and flew towards her portal, where she might escape.

A wall of earth as high as a three-storey building shot up from the ground and almost knocked Homura out of the air. Sucking in a sharp breath, Homura backtracked and made to fly in the other direction, but another wall erupted in front of her, blocking her path. Before she could try another route, more earthen walls burst up around her, trapping her.

The only way out left was to go up. She began to fly towards her freedom, but stopped cold all of a sudden. Shika had landed like shadow on top of one of the earthen walls, and was glaring down at the Demon with shining, slitted irises.

"Homura Akemi, what makes you think I'm letting you escape alive after what you've done?" snarled the Elemental Magi, hefting her warhammer menacingly.

Homura backed away until her wingtips brushed against the rough earthen walls. There was no place for her to hide.

"Shika Kiyomizu, what makes you think I'm _not_ escaping alive after what I've done?" hissed the Demon in reply.

"Because I will definitely slay you here and now!" shouted Shika, madness lacing her voice. Spikes of earth darted out from the walls, meaning to impale Homura, but the Demon folded her wings and dropped out of range. However, Shika was not about to be bested. She summoned more spikes, each of them narrowly missing Homura.

The Demon wove in and out between the earthen projections, feeling increasingly winded. There was not much space left for her to manoeuvre inside the earth tower with each new spear. Sooner or later, she would meet a spike that she'd fail to avoid.

Wheezing, she took out her Dark Orb and snatched up another Grief Seed from within. Shika noticed it and cursed. She quickly extended a hand before her, gathering the electrons in the air to her fingertips. A bolt of lightning streaked from her hand, coalescing into the shape of a falcon that headed towards the Demon like a falling star.

Homura saw it coming. With the desperation of a cornered beast, she tossed the Seed aside and drew her bow with great difficultly. The narrow spaced hindered her movements, but it was enough to allow her to loose a shaft at the incoming falcon.

The purple arrow cut through the elemental bird. It dispersed into tiny balls of prickling light. They quickly disappeared with a pop. Her arrow stuck itself into a spike before it could reach Shika.

The Elemental Magi could not allow Homura to hatch another Witch on her. She jumped down into the tower and hacked away at the spikes with a maddened power, eager to get to the Demon. Seeing Shika come at her, Homura dived even lower, frantically trying to locate her dropped Seed in the dim light.

"Kiyomizu! Listen to me first before you attack!" called out Homura as she flew around the spikes expertly. She had to buy herself some time. Broken pieces of earth from Shika's frenzied attack poured down from above. "I told you earlier that I am your enemy, didn't I? It was not on purpose!"

"Explain yourself then!" replied Shika breathlessly, already halfway down the tower. "I'll listen!"

Homura continued to drop. "The reason why I rewinded time was to save Madoka Kaname from her fate of either dying or turning into a Witch and destroying the world. I did it for over a hundred times, all the while failing to save her! You and Tera Aido were collateral damage. I swear I don't know why you two could remember the rewinds when others couldn't!" She noticed the sheen of the Grief Seen a few more metres below her.

"Fair enough! I accept your explanation. But Madoka Kaname is a Goddess, not a Witch! Are you lying to me?" shouted Shika, getting nearer to her quarry.

"She is now a Goddess because I failed to stop her from making a wish in that last timeline!" said Homura with a hint of regret. "She bade me to not repeat time ever again, and that she is happy to take on the burden of all Puella Magi. I respected her wish, and watched as she was taken away from me! I lost her, and she was all alone, alone in taking away and shouldering the grief of millions of Puella Magi."

"What she did was a noble sacrifice," said Shika, easily demolishing another spike. "She did what others could never do. She became salvation itself! I respect her with all my might and I will do anything to help her, even if it means killing you!"

"You don't understand!" cried Homura, tears forming like pearls at the edge of her eyes. "I _suffered so much_ trying to save her, and then she goes on to _leave_ me and become _Goddess_ , only to suffer by herself, alone and forgotten by everyone she once loved! What sort of fate is that?! Why must she be destined to such a horrible end?"

"It's horrible, I admit, but it's a choice she made!" called back Shika, temporarily withdrawing her warhammer to hop down neatly from spike to spike. "If you really do care for her, then you'll set her free and let her do what she chose to do!"

"That's easy for you to say, Angel! You didn't suffer the way I did! After she became Goddess, I was the only one who could remember her. I was in constant pain. I wanted to see her, but the only way to do that would be to die! I had to force myself to preserve the world she left behind. I maintained her legacy. I fought back the Wraiths to protect the world she loved so much! But it was a battle that I couldn't bear with. No one believed in Madoka's existence, no one believed me when I told them about our old enemies, the Witches. They all thought I was mad! So in the end, I _did_ become mad! I seized her powers and dethroned her. I rewrote the laws of the universe and wiped all your memories so that she may lead a more peaceful life. But now, with all you Puella Magi remembering your past lives, it's triggering Madoka and making her recall her inner Goddess, and I don't want that!"

"You're being selfish, Akemi," shouted Shika angrily, increasing her downwards pace. "I know what selfishness feels like because I'm that way too... But right now, you have to stop this madness and restore her! If you don't, _I will!_ "

" _She will suffer if I do!"_ shrieked Homura in agony. Her fingers stretched out to grab at the Grief Seed lying on the ground, but Shika was quicker. She bade the earth to sink even further down, bringing with it the Seed. More spikes protruded around the circular space, impeding Homura's flight. There was no way for the Demon to reach the Grief Seed now. Her violet eyes gleamed with moisture as she glared up at Shika.

"Akemi, call it a moment of truce and listen to what I have to say," said Shika, skipping down the final few spikes to face Homura. The Demon stared at her adversary impassively, hiding away her distress.

"Speak, then."

"As you've said, you are my enemy, and I shan't deny that. I am still hell bent on killing you... But if you are willing to release Madoka Kaname and allow her to return to the Law of Cycles, I will make your death swift and painless."

"You're one to talk nicely," jeered Homura, tossing her hair back. "What happened to all your rage earlier on? What happened to all that anger? Did it miraculously disappear within this short space of time?" Taunting her enemy, Homura changed the topic with sinuous skill.

"You underestimate me, Demon," growled Shika, adjusting the position of her warhammer. "All that anger is still inside, but somehow or other, I am still able to think straight because of Akira. She taught me to never lose myself in a battle, and I won't fail her."

"Akira Oda, eh? She's the biggest nuisance out of the three of you since she has a brain in her head, but it seems she might be dying tonight..." Homura cocked her head coyly. "It's your fault that both your friends are mortally wounded."

Shika gritted her teeth until she thought her gums would bleed. "I won't allow them to die! Once I'm done with you, I'll save them! Let me ask you again before I lose all control once more – will you set Madoka Kaname free, or will you continue this madness? Don't waste my time!"

"Isn't the answer obvious...?" muttered Homura, her bow appearing in her hand. Quick as a lunging snake, she drew the bowstring and shot a glowing purple shaft at the Magi. However, the projectile pinged off harmlessly from Shika's breastplate. The girl didn't even flinch. Homura hissed in astonishment.

Advancing menacingly on the Demon, Shika spoke in a low voice. "I met Madokami in the World Between Worlds. She declared me as her Angel of Battle. She told me to stop you and restore her to the Law of Cycles... If you don't willingly surrender, I have no choice but to kill you."

"She said that to you? To stop _me_? And you have _no choice_? Hah! I can't believe it..." chuckled Homura to herself, covering her eyes with a hand. Her body shook with soundless laughter, which abruptly evolved into a full-blown cackle.

"My beloved Madoka told you to stop _me_? _Nonsense_! She trusts in no one else but me!" The laugh quickly contorted into a grimace, as if hesitating over her own confidence.

"Think what you want, Demon, but I'm telling you the truth."

Homura was instantly sobered. She gave Shika a sadistic smile.

"See? Even my only friend has turned on me. What else is there for me to lose? As long as I can keep Madoka with me forever, even if she hates me, nothing else really matters anymore..." Her arm twitched as she smiled, bringing the bow up to eye level.

"Let's resume the battle, Angel..."

"You've sealed your fate then, Demon..." snarled Shika, lifting her warhammer clear off the ground. "Your death will be slow and torturous..."

"Only if you manage to catch me first...!" Homura unexpectedly directed her bow upwards and released a single shaft. It flew out of sight.

"What did you do that for?" hissed Shika, immediately on the alert.

"If I were you, I'd stop talking and start praying for a painless end," smirked Homura. A small portal opened behind her, and a Clara Doll popped out, squeezing between the spikes to get at the Grief Seed below. Shika made a move to stop it, but more of the Dolls came out of the portal and crawled all over her, restraining her limbs.

"H-Hey, g-get off me!" she shouted in shock. Her warhammer clattered down and lodged itself between two spikes. She tried to shake them off, buffeting them with her wings, but the Clara Dolls were surprisingly strong.

"Hmm, don't like being held down, little deer?" taunted Homura, smirking as the first Clara Doll deposited the retrieved Grief Seed into her palm. "The tables have turned, Kiyomizu. No one can ever win against me... Now that you're stuck like this, I want to try something out before my arrows come raining down..."

She grabbed Shika's neck and pressed her face close to her foe's. "Your Soul Gem is beneath the armour on your left arm, isn't it?"

Her Soul Gem was supposed to be hidden from sight. Shika tried not to show alarm that Homura knew where it was, but her expression forsook her.

"I knew it..." chuckled Homura. The Magi bared her teeth and wanted to retaliate, but Homura tightened her grasp around her neck, smiling crazily.

"I can't hurt you physically... but what if I transferred this Seed's Grief into your Gem instead of having it purify the Gem?" said Homura, her smile causing Shika to involuntarily shrink away.

"Would you... _turn into a Witch_?"

Tera stirred, uttering a soft moan. Her body felt slimy, broken and heavy, and she couldn't even lift her arms. Due to her rapid healing abilities, she had recovered slightly from the attack, but was still very much incapacitated. She was losing too much blood in just one night.

Gingerly, Tera opened her eyes, afraid to see where she was. Had Mir eaten her, and she was now in the Witch's stomach?

She couldn't see a thing. Panic seized her. Where was she?

Her fear gave her a new source of strength. Sitting up, she reached out with her claws, waiting to touch liquid or something smooth and soft.

A claw hit against a hard object. Cautiously, she allowed her hand to rest upon the object, surprised to find that it was cold and wet.

Curiosity overtook her again. With some amount of effort, she lit a small fire at the tip of her claw-nail. The dancing flames illuminated the area around her, as well as the object.

Tera saw that she was trapped inside an earthen dome, with corpses from the battle scattered around. Whatever this was, it didn't seem too threatening for now. At least she wasn't being digested inside the Witch's stomach. Turning her attention to the cold object next to her, she waved the flame across its shiny surface. It was ice.

Squinting hard, Tera tried to see if anything was special about it. It seemed to be red all over...

" _Holy mother of-!_ " The fire went out with a puff. She leapt back with a horrified curse, ignoring her wounded body's protests. There was someone inside!

Hyperventilating, Tera found her whole body quaking with fear. Although she had a good idea of who was inside the crystal-like mound, she loathed to admit it.

Dragging herself back, she re-lit the flame and directed it above the ice block. She bit down on her lower lip, bracing herself for the worst.

There was no mistaking the long, blood-stained silver hair that streamed across the body like numerous spider threads. Horrific gashes made by human nails and teeth were present all over. The face was completely covered in blood.

Tears sprang to Tera's eyes. Her claws reverted to her hands and she clapped a palm over her mouth to stop herself from throwing up.

There was no way she could accept it.

Huddling into a ball, she rocked back and forth, hot tears slipping down her bruised cheeks.

' _Akira-senpai, you can't die...!'_ she thought to herself, feeling more and more horrified. How could the strong, reliable Akira die and leave her to fight alone?

Paying no heed to her wounds, Tera heaved her upper body on top of the ice block and reactivated her claws, setting them on fire. "I don't believe you're dead yet, senpai... I _won't_ believe it..." she said to herself delusionally, the intense heat from her cestuses melting the ice away. Before it could singe the body inside, she withdrew her claws and reverted them to her hands.

The water had washed off some of the blood, but it only served to make Akira's condition look more serious. New gashes showed up, and more places were seen to be bitten apart. Tera could not tell if Akira was still in her Puella Magi garb, or had reverted to her normal clothes...

...The latter of which would mean that she was dead.

Still crying, Tera hesitantly touched Akira's shoulder and shook it, hoping that Akira was still alive. "Akira-senpai, wake up..." she choked feebly. "Don't leave me alone..."

The Clara Dolls tittered as Shika made a wild struggle to break free from their grasp. Seeing her distress, Homura's perverse excitement grew.

"Now, don't resist me, Angel, or this will be very excruciating," crooned Homura, wrenching off the left shoulder guard brutally. Shika yelled in pain from the careless removal of her armour.

"Did I hurt you? Oops," chuckled Homura, bringing the Grief Seed nearer to where the now-exposed Soul Gem was. It was glowing a bright green, but was now streaked with gold strands. Upon seeing it, the Demon hesitated. She recalled that the Gem was completely green before this. Gold was a colour that was often related to Madokami. _What could this mean?_

"What is it, Demon?" Shika's voice was deadly calm for one being choked. "Scared to see what I'd look like as a Witch?"

Homura scoffed. "A-As if." Her grip on Shika's neck loosened as her fingers somehow lost their strength.

"Then do it." The Magi stared levelly at Homura, as if challenging her to actually corrupt her Gem. The Demon recoiled at Shika's careless regard for her own life.

That hesitation was all she needed. White, searing flames engulfed the Elemental like an explosion. The Clara Dolls screamed and jumped away to avoid being burnt to death. Homura withdrew her hand and toppled over from the blast. Earth crumbled to dust around them.

As quickly as the fire came, it went. Shika shook her head rapidly to get rid of the queasy feeling in her throat. The armour on her shoulder also magically reappeared, re-concealing the green-gold Gem. Homura scrabbled up, coughing on the dust. Her chest and arms were scalded by the heat. Her Clara Dolls were all crumpled to the bottom of the tower.

"Do you surrender now, Demon?" queried Shika, her visage set in stone. "There's no point in lengthening this useless battle."

"Hmph." Homura smirked. "I will never surrender to the likes of you. Already, the tables are, once again, turning to my favour."

Shika gasped. She forgot that Homura had fired off an arrow into the sky earlier on. She craned her neck back and looked at the exit of the tower.

Shining purple shafts appeared like gimlets of light. They rapidly gained speed and size. A few crashed into the tower's side, crumbling the hard earth. Some pierced through the spikes, and some lodged themselves into the walls.

They were all aiming for Shika's Soul Gem.

Sucking in a sharp breath, Shika immediately pulled up a slab of earth to cover herself from the projectiles. The purple shafts buried themselves deep into the hardened soil, cracking the elemental shield. More came raining down like an endless torrent, pin-cushioning the barrier.

Homura laughed at Shika's attempt to block out the arrows. She swiftly flew upwards, where freedom was calling for her. Seeing that Homura was escaping, Shika groaned. She had to stop her.

" _Yuki_!" The Elemental Magi's shout boomed across the battlefield.

The Shiba Inu heard her mistress' voice. Looking up, with her muzzle dripping with stale blood, Yuki bounded towards the earth tower. Arrows fell around her like exploding land mines. Whining, she tried to get closer to the tower, but the arrows threatened to pierce her hide.

" _Stop Homura Akemi from escaping!_ " ordered Shika, her voice sounding out in Yuki's mind. " _I will deal with the arrows so they won't hit you. Destroy the tower, and bury her alive. Don't worry about me, I can protect myself!_

The brave canine did as she was told. Rushing headlong at the earthen sculpture, she threw her entire weight against it. The arrows that were coming for Yuki were magically deflected by a gust of wind, keeping her unharmed.

Homura felt the tremors. Urging her Clara Dolls to re-enter the portal so as not to lose any of them, she was about to follow through when a strong hand grabbed at her arm. She glanced back, only to gaze into Shika's maddened eyes.

"I told you that you're not leaving here alive tonight, didn't I?" fumed Shika, her eyes ablaze with madness. Multiple arrows were lodged in her back, piercing the armour slightly and causing the flesh underneath to bleed, but Shika didn't seem to be bothered. Outside, Yuki continued to hurl herself against the tower.

Homura writhed in Shika's grasp, but nothing she did could make the Elemental budge. Even her purple shafts were becoming nothing more than a mere nuisance to the berserk Elemental.

Pieces of the tower were now falling down in huge chunks. Purple glitter dust and earthen bits showered the two girls.

"Kiyomizu, you're going to kill the both of us!" shrieked Homura, her free hand clawing at Shika's in a bid to loosen the grip.

"I'm only killing you, Demon," snarled Shika. "The earth and I are one, and because of that, it would not harm me."

"Why you…" Homura growled, her raven wings flapping once angrily. "You won't get away with th-"

Yuki charged at the tower with a fearsome roar. Her awesome bulk finally destroyed the tower's base. The top came crashing down inwards. At once, Shika released her hold on Homura and encased herself in a thick earthen barrier. The Demon staggered backwards and looked up, swallowing.

 _Was she about to die?_

A pained yelp came from outside the tower. Shika recognised it as Yuki's, and immediately smashed her way out of the tower using her warhammer.

She had enough time to only glance at her dog's assailants. There were two, both of them mimicking each other in terms of height and stature. One of them was wielding a double-edged sword, which she had used to hack at Yuki.

Enraged, Shika forgot about Homura and flew towards the new attackers. However, the two noticed her and quickly jumped into the collapsed tower via an opening in the rubble.

"Shika!" barked Yuki, blood dripping from her side. "Shika, it's dangerous! Don't go after them!"

"I don't care if they're dangerous or not!" thundered Shika, rushing after the two shadows. "They hurt you and they're going to pay-"

The two shadows zipped out from the same opening, almost smashing into Shika. They quickly backtracked and leapt away, and in their arms was Homura Akemi.

Shika saw the Demon in their arms, and became even more enraged. "You're not getting away with her! I'll hunt you down to the ends of the world!"

The Elemental began to make chase, but Yuki's whine quickly brought her back to her senses. Her friends' conditions were unknown, and Yuki was hurt. She couldn't just go away and chase down Homura when their lives were at stake.

Her rage simmered down, and she grimaced. "Tch… I almost killed her, had those two not appeared."

"Killing the Demon is not important now," growled Yuki, nudging Shika's arm. "Akira and Tera are badly hurt, you have to get to them now!"

"Are they still alive?" asked Shika urgently, using her magic to seal the wound on Yuki's side. She expertly swung herself atop her steed when the gap of flesh closed up neatly.

"I shall hope they are. Akira's condition didn't look too good, after all," said the dog, shaking her head.

Holding her breath, Shika silently hoped they were fine. Whoever those two were, she would have to find out later.

Also, it seemed that her grudge with Homura was not about to end any time soon.

Tera had gotten over her initial shock. She tried sealing Akira's wounds with her magic, but it didn't seem to work. Terrified for Akira's life, she debated if she should break the earth barrier and get help from Shika. However, she didn't know what was going on outside, and if the battle was still raging on. If it were, going out would only mean death to the both of them.

The tiger's sharp ears caught the sound of something scrabbling at the earthen barrier. Although feeling extremely weak, she stood up and activated her cestuses, making them burn at a low red fire. Whoever it was, it would have to defeat her first before it could get to Akira.

The ceiling of the barrier cracked, sending a small shower of dust floating to the ground. The crack then widened, splitting apart neatly. A figure jumped in, her glowing white-green wings casting incandescent reflections on the walls.

Tera couldn't help backing away. Through her hazy red vision, she saw that the person resembled Shika, yet it wasn't exactly Shika. She was wearing armour, for one, and she had brilliant wings made of energy.

"Akira… Where's Akira?" demanded the person urgently, advancing on Tera. It was then that Tera realised it was indeed Shika.

"W-What happened to you, senpai?" quavered Tera, trying not to show alarm at Shika's appearance.

"Don't mind me now, Tera-san, just tell me where Akira is!" demanded Shika harshly, her voice straining with tension. Mutely, Tera pointed at the blood-coated figure lying on the ground.

Without a words of thanks, Shika hastily went to Akira's side and took her friend's hand. Her face was that of a horrified person.

"What happened to you, Akira…?" whispered Shika, her eyes glazing over with a film of tears. She hurriedly placed two fingers on the carotid arteries of Akira's neck to check for a pulse.

It was present, although very faint.

Quickly, she placed her palms over Akira's torn-up body, channelling her Soul Gem's power into the gashes and bites. Some of them sealed up, but the bigger ones remained open. Shika feverishly channelled even more energy, watching each gap close up eventually. However, there was a fatal wound on her chest that wouldn't close up.

Tera sank to her knees next to Shika and watched her senior desperately try to revive Akira. She wanted to offer some help, but thought the better of it. Her Soul Gem was already quite polluted. Besides, Shika did not look as if she would appreciate help right now.

Tears began dripping down Shika's nose. If Akira died, it would be her fault.

She had rushed into battle without caring about the outcome for herself and her friends. Her wings' brilliance died down and dissipated into the darkness of the small earth chamber. Shika fell forward onto Akira's body and started sobbing.

Seeing Shika cry, Tera could not bear to hold in her anguish any longer either. Tears pooled at the corners of her eyes, and she released the dam that held them in. She hugged Shika and sobbed with her, feeling lost and afraid.

They heard a cough. Shika snapped her tear-stained face up as Akira's chest jerked once. Slowly, the Ice Magi's eyelids flickered open. A groan issued from her pale, bloodied lips.

"It'd take more…than a few corpses…to do me in," she mumbled, straining for a grin.

" _Akira!_ " The two girls' frowns were instantaneously inverted into relieved smiles. Shika pulled Akira up into a sitting position and promptly hugged her, causing Akira to grimace in pain. However, the older girl did not mind; seeing Shika alive was the best thing that happened yet tonight.

"Akira, you scared me…" whispered Shika, her voice catching in her throat. "When I heard your scream, and saw you encased in ice, I was already expecting the worst… But you're alive..." Tears were streaming down her cheeks, but she was smiling.

"You're crying…" said Akira softly, feeling the warm liquid splash on her exposed back.

"I know," replied Shika, smiling. "I'm crying and I don't mind, because you're alive and safe."

"Shika…" Akira tried to return Shika's hug, but her arms were too weak. "I never thought… that I'd be so happy to see you cry."

"If it makes you happy, then I'm happy too…" said Shika, choking with emotion.

Seeing her two seniors together, Tera felt a surge of loneliness. When Rikka was still alive, they were basically inseparable. The tiger girl had someone to care about and someone to look after… But now…

Tera was snapped back to reality by Akira's harsh coughing. The wound on Akira's chest proved to be deadly. It was bleeding uncontrollably, and magic couldn't seal it. Akira began coughing up bloody mucus, each wracking jitter sending more of the viscous liquid pouring out.

"No arguments this time, I'm going to the hospital where they can give me a blood infusion," said Akira weakly. "Call the ambulance… before I pass out…"

"But-"

"Don't 'but' me, Shika, just call the ambulance. Homura Akemi must have put a curse in those zombies' attacks to stop the wounds from healing…" Akira hacked again, making blood ooze from her chest. "Cook up… some story about… a feral dog attack. The wounds resemble claw rends… so it shouldn't be suspicious."

Obeying Akira, Shika called the ambulance. They shifted Akira onto Yuki's back and brought her to the entrance of the park. Shika had made sure to clean up the park's mess by burying all the corpses and smoothing out the terrain. There was no trace that a battle had taken place here.

When the ambulance came and took Akira away, Shika mutely watched everything unfold. She had wanted to follow Akira to the hospital, but Akira had told her to stay. Someone had to take care of Tera, who was still quite wounded. When Tera was told to go to the hospital to heal, she had refused.

On the walk back, the tiger girl was very quiet. She clung onto Shika's arm for reassurance, issuing small sniffles every now and then. Questions were formulating in her mind, but she dare not ask Shika about them.

She knew what Shika's Puella Magi form was supposed to look like, but after seeing those wings and armour, she began to doubt herself. Was it for real, or were her eyes playing tricks on her?

As they reached the gate of the house, Tera finally piqued up and queried, "Shika-senpai… Just now, at the battle, why did you look…different?"

Shika gave Tera a hooded stare. "I really don't know."

"Oh. Okay," mumbled Tera. Shika was hiding something, unwilling to talk. Right now, she was scared for Akira's life, and was obviously battling some internal demon. Tera was not likely to get a word out of Shika until Akira came back, safe and sound.

She would have to wait.

Homura was bent over, panting from the escape. Her body was full of scratches and small wounds, a present from Shika's collapsing tower. She was thankful that a spike had stopped a large chunk from falling on her. If it wasn't there, she'd be flattened to death.

The two figures who had saved her were by her side, catching their breath as well. They were standing in a dark alley, where no one would see them.

"Thank goodness we came before she got you, Homura-san," said the first voice, breathless.

"Yeah, thank your lucky stars we came quickly," said the second one.

Straightening her back, Homura flipped her hair indifferently. The wounds on her body closed up with an unsettling sucking sound. "Hmph… Instead of backing me up in battle, you took me away from it like fleeing cowards." There was disdain in the Demon's tone. "If we had teamed up, no doubt the Elementals would all die tonight. Now I would have to deal with them on another day."

"I believe that your own safety is of more importance right now, Homura-san," the first voice replied snappishly. "Besides, Akira Oda has been mortally wounded and would not be able to fight any time soon. She might even die tonight."

"Ahh, whatever," Homura dismissed any further talk of that event with a wave of her hand. "What I'm more interested in is how Shika Kiyomizu underwent a transformation mid-battle… Her powers also increased by at least three-fold…"

"We're not sure how that happened, but you should be more concerned about tomorrow morning's mission," reminded the second voice.

"The Mitakihara Strike Force is planning to ambush you around half-past four, while it's still dark. They will circle the old warehouse and launch a pincer attack," continued the first voice.

"They don't know a single thing about the warehouse modifications, so they won't be aware of any traps laid for them. They're blind to any retaliation that might happen."

"You can probably kill all of them in one fell swoop, if you wanted to."

Homura chuckled. "Tch, you two are really something… How can you so readily sacrifice your friends in return for a simple wish?"

"Don't judge us for what we chose to do," said the first voice, sounding a bit hurt. "We did what we're supposed to do, and we won't regret it."

The Demon smirked. "If that's what you think, then fine. I won't stop you. Thanks for the information. You may both leave." Homura turned on her heels and jumped into the air, flying back towards her apartment.

The two figures stood and watched as she departed.

"Hey… do you think we made the right choice?" one of them said as soon as Homura was gone.

There was some hesitation in the answer.

"…I have no idea."

It was nearing three in the morning. Shika woke up as the alarm blared, slamming her palm on the clock to stop it. She was dead tired. After the fight was over, and after Akira was sent to the hospital, she took Tera and Yuki back and told them to get some rest. It wouldn't be long until they had to fight again.

Shika thought about Akira, all alone in the hospital, and wondered if her parents were worrying about their only daughter. Did they even know what had happened to her?

It was not the time to ponder about that. She stretched her arms above her head, feeling her muscles loosen. She was about to nudge Tera to wake her up, when she realised that the young girl was in no condition to fight anymore. A lot of events had taken place in just a few hours, and the tiger was worn out through and through.

Shika was made of sterner stuff. She could still go on. She was not Madoka's Angel for nothing.

Getting up from the floor slowly, she tread across the room towards the door and exited silently. Yuki was outside, lying on the floor and waiting.

" _Where's Tera?_ " asked Yuki through telepathy.

" _Not coming,"_ replied Shika. _"She's had enough to bear with already. I don't want to drag her into another conflict."_

 _"Then you should leave her a note."_

Shika nodded and took a small sheet of paper, scribbling something on it.

 _[I'm going to Mitakihara. Don't follow. Stay at home. If anything happens, call me or text me. If there's news about Akira, call me as well.]_

As she wrote down the last digit of her cell phone number, Shika realised that she would be leaving Tera home alone.

" _On second thought, Yuki, you should stay back too and look after Tera-san,_ " said Shika, not happy with her own verdict. _"You were hurt too, so you need all the rest you can get."_

" _But who'd fight along you if I'm to stay?"_ whined Yuki, standing up and padding over to Shika's side. " _I know you're capable of fighting alone, but I just can't help worrying!"_

" _I can summon elemental animals to fight for me. I'll be fine..."_ Shika averted her eyes from Yuki's dismayed features. _"Besides, having you at the warehouse isn't exactly a wise choice, since your size is too large for any skirmish in an enclosed space."_

Yuki's ears drooped. " _Alright... I'll stay here and take care of Tera. But you make sure you be careful!"_ The Shiba Inu gave Shika a look of worry and determination. " _Come back alive, Shika."_

 _"...I will."_

The Earth Shaker went out of her house and stood on the small lawn. Transforming into her Angel forme, she spread her wings apart and launched into the vast skies, flying for Mitakihara.

Whatever those Puella Magi were planning to do at the warehouse, she must stop them. If not, their ambush attempt would turn into a bloody suicide party.


	38. Chapter 36 : Trap

Oriko paced back and forth in her father's lush rose garden. She checked her watch for the seventh time, obviously getting impatient about something.

"Yo, Oriko!" a cheery voice greeted her. The tall ash-blonde regally turned to face the person. Her expression was anything but serene.

"Kirika! You're late by five minutes," reprimanded Oriko, clicking her tongue in disapproval.

"I don't see the others around yet, so that makes me the earliest," Kirika cheered, bouncing up to Oriko's side. Her broken arm was still cast in a sling, so she wouldn't be able to fight. Oriko had wanted her over just in case they needed her slowing-magic.

"Remember, Kirika, you're just following as back-up," reminded Oriko severely, knowing her friend's tendencies to engage in battles without heed for her own safety. "On no occasion are you to fight, do you understand?"

"Crystal clear, Oriko!" confirmed Kirika, saluting her green-eyed senior with her good hand.

At that moment, Kyoko, Mami, Nagisa and Yuma turned up around the drive. Mami opened the door to the rose garder, greeting Oriko and Kirika.

"Good morning, Mikuni-san, Kure-san." Mami was evidently making an effort to sound friendly. Oriko, however, wasn't too bothered about it.

"Good that you're all finally here," said Oriko dryly, sweeping her eyes across the small assembly. "We've no time to lose. Let us make haste to the warehouse."

"We're walking there?" whined Yuma, yawning. "Yuma is tired. Yuma doesn't want to go... It's scary and dark."

Kyoko looked at Oriko with a distrusting stare. "Ya sure ya wanna take the kids there too? It could be dangerous for them." She patted Yuma's head once, stroking it to lift the young girl's mood.

"We need as many people as possible to be able to fight the Demon," replied Oriko calmly. "Young or not, Momoe-san and Chitose-san are still Puella Magi. It is their untold duty to fight Homura Akemi."

Kyoko was about to lash back when Mami interceded. "I understand where you're coming from, Mikuni-san, but I agree with Kyoko. It could be dangerous for the young ones. Should we perhaps leave them here, in your home, while we go out?"

Oriko pondered this for a while. Her eyes glowed bright green momentarily, then faded back to their normal hue. She shook her head. "The young ones would have to follow. We...need them for this mission."

"You saw a vision!" exclaimed Kyoko, at once grabbing Oriko's collar and shaking her. "What did you see? Why do we need them for the mission? Spit it out!"

Kirika snarled and pounced on Kyoko, bashing away the red-head. "Don't you dare rough up Oriko!" she yelled, standing defensively in front of her friend.

"Are you picking a fight this early in the morning?" growled Kyoko, glaring at the brunette. Mami quickly put a hand on Kyoko's shoulder, giving her a stern glance.

"I apologise for that, Kure-san. Please don't take her actions to heart," said Mami humbly.

"M-Mami-senpai? Why are you apologis-" Kyoko was silenced by a sharp squeeze on her shoulder from Mami.

"Excuse me as I talk with Sakura-san for a while. We need to discuss something," explained Mami , taking Kyoko's hand. Oriko dismissed them with a wave of her hand.

Once they were out of earshot of both Oriko and Kirika, Mami grasped Kyoko's hands tightly.

"Sakura-san, I know how infuriating it is to work with them, but please, please try to keep the peace between us. If we all keep fighting, then there'll be no end to this," pleaded Mami.

"Hmph. I don't know about you, but that Oriko Mikuni creeps me out with her visions. And then there's that Kirika Kure... Man, she's a pain in the arse. Can't she stop being so obsessed over Mikuni?" complained Kyoko, scratching the back of her neck while looking at the ground.

"Just bear with it for another few hours. If this mission succeeds, then everything will go back to normal."

"How sure are you?" challenged Kyoko. "If, and I mean _if_ , we manage to kill Homura, what happens next? We can't predict what'd happen if a Demon that controls the laws of the universe dies."

Mami was shocked into silence for a while. "You're right, of course..."

"Also, did you notice Oriko's eyes glow just now?" Kyoko brought up the unsavoury subject. "It means she saw a vision, and in that vision, I think she saw both Yuma and Nagisa contributing to the ambush on Homura. That's why she was insisting on bringing them along."

"Are you sure?" pressed Mami, concern stamped across her pale face. "I wouldn't be able to take it if any of them got hurt in the process..."

"Forget about getting hurt," snapped Kyoko. "We could frickin' die if something went wrong. And of course, that ass-hat Mikuni doesn't care about it. All she thinks about is killing Homura, and she underestimates the Demon's powers. She's using us as frickin' chess pawns!"

"Sakura-san, I know you're angry, and I am too, but what can we do? We're already here. To back off now is like mutiny..." Mami frowned, feeling her pulse increase in vigour. She was nervous. She couldn't help feeling that something would go wrong.

"Hey, Mami-senpai, are you okay?" asked Kyoko, all her rage containing itself for the sake of her senior.

"Eh? Oh, y-yeah, I'm okay," stammered Mami, quickly gathering herself together. "Let's go back to them, shall we...?"

Kyoko stuck out her lower lip, as if not pleased with the instruction. However, she allowed herself to be pulled back to the main group.

"Ready to leave?" Oriko addressed the Strike Force confidently.

Mami raised her hand. "Mikuni-san, what about the Puella Magi from Kazamino? Are they not joining? Also, where are the twins?"

Oriko's face fell. She recalled yesterday's chat with Akira and Shika. It had not went well, and Shika had warned her to stay away from any activities that concerned Homura.

"We shall not talk about the Kazaminoans. They are not part of this Strike Force, nor shall they ever be," scowled Oriko, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Oriko..." Kirika looked at her friend with a sad, puzzled look.

"As for the twins, they will be waiting for us at the warehouse itself... Forget about the Kazaminoans... Let's go," commanded Oriko, her imperial green eyes piercing all the assembled members.

Nervously, they all left for their destination, scared for their very lives.

Shika was discovering many new abilities that had been unlocked when she attained her Angel form. She could now summon wings made of electrical energy which enabled her to fly. Besides, she could also manipulate elements other than earth. During the battle with Homura, she had unleashed the lightning, wind and fire elements. Were there even more for her to find out and use?

Shrugging aside her curiosity, she continued her long flight towards Mitakihara, aided by the winds' speed. It was vital that she try to stop them from going to the warehouse. Even if Homura had been wounded from the battle with her earlier on, the Demon could still set traps in and outside the area. It could prove to be deadly to the Puella Magi.

 _If she found Homura there..._

She clenched her fists. She wouldn't fail this time.

The Demon must be defeated.

"My calculations were flawless. We arrived right on time," beamed Oriko, proud of her own time-management skills. They were met by the Australian twins at the road fork that lead to the warehouse. Both of the twins looked sleepy and dishevelled.

"Glad you guys made it," said Estella, trying to sound high-spirited.

"We were wondering when you'd arrive," continued Luna, stifling a yawn.

"Now that everyone is here, let us proceed with the outline of the plan," declared Oriko. The Strike Force halted at the base of the small hill, where they sat in a circle, listening to Oriko's instructions. She summoned her metal balls, small ones, and placed them on the ground.

"Right, we are here," she said, pointing to a sphere, "and this is where Akemi is." She indicated its location with another sphere.

"We will fan out and circle the base of the warehouse." She spread the spheres in a circle surrounding Homura. "At exactly a quarter to five, we will stream up the hillside and take the warehouse by surprise in a pincer movement." Oriko promptly sent all the spheres rolling towards the one which was Homura.

"Akemi will be too surprised to react. We will kill her for sure tonight," Oriko conceded. "Any questions or arguments?"

"I've got one."

All heads whipped around the source of the voice. Oriko shrank back reflexively at the sight of the armoured Magi that stood before her.

Shika had appeared like a shadow.

"This ambush is nothing more than running yourselves into the Demon's trap," warned the Elemental Master, her eyes sparking with danger. "The only person you'll be murdering tonight is yourselves."

"K-Kiyomizu-san?" exclaimed Mami, covering her mouth in surprise.

"Dammit, what happened to you?" blurted out Kyoko, almost toppling over from awe.

"Nevermind what happened to me. What is about to happen to _you_ is of more concern right now," said Shika. "Homura Akemi wouldn't be defeated easily, and I doubt any of you can even land a hit on her."

"Arrogance never won anything in the end, Kiyomizu-san," retorted Oriko, feeling her pride being attacked. "Whatever you might say, my mind won't change. We will still be attacking the Demon."

There was a moment of silence. Then, Shika replied. "Hmph... I won't stop you in this suicide mission then. You're more stubborn than a donkey... Do as you please. Just don't get killed in the process," she answered, her expression unreadable. Although Akira had told her to stop them, she found no heart in doing so. It was their own choice. Besides, she had her own agenda. "I will be taking part in this ambush as well. I have... a personal grudge to fulfil with Homura Akemi..."

Oriko's insides flipped hearing Shika's words. They were full of anger, hate and also determination. The other members of the Strike Force were also obviously shaken by the Angel's words.

Her mind was muddled by Shika's unexpected appearance, but Oriko tried to keep it together. "Alright, Kiyomizu-san will be joining us... So that makes seven of us altogether. Tomoe-san and Momoe-san will be circling around to the back of the warehouse. Sakura-san and Chitose-san will be on the left flank, whereas Kirika and I will be on the right side. The twins will be on the front assault. Meanwhile, Kiyomizu-san..." Oriko gave Shika a dissatisfied grunt. "You can take any flank you want. Just don't mess up my plans."

"Good enough," nodded Shika. "I'll take the back flank with Tomoe-san."

"It's settled then," said Oriko, withdrawing her metal balls. "Are we ready?"

There was a low chorus of approval. It didn't sound very encouraging at all.

The warehouse, when seen in the dark, was nothing short of creepy. There were no lights around for miles. Millions of stars giggled mockingly at the lonely landscape below. Dry bushes and dead trees scattered themselves on the hill slopes, looking like the silhouettes of monsters.

The high winds keened like a lost spectre, sending goosebumps running across Mami's arms. She was not happy with this mission, but she had to see it through for the safety of Nagisa and Kyoko. She protectively held onto the Nagisa's hand as they circled around the warehouse, with Shika tagging along behind.

"Mami-senpai... when we get home, can we have some cheesecake?" asked Nagisa quietly, pressing herself closer to Mami. She was trembling.

Mami tried to smile. "Yes, of course we can. I'll bake you the best cheesecake ever."

"I love you, Mami, thanks," mumbled Nagisa, clutching at Mami's hand like it was her lifeline.

Shika watched the two together. She knew it must be hard for Mami to stay strong for Nagisa's sake. She was reminded of Akira, who was now lying hurt in the hospital. If only she could be there with her now...

"Kiyomizu-san?" Mami's voice shook Shika back to the present.

"Yes? What is it?" asked Shika, not too eager to talk to anyone right now.

"You look different... Did something happen to you?" enquired Mami.

"I..." Shika didn't know what to reply. "I'm not sure myself."

Mami simply beamed. "It's alright. You don't need to answer. I was only curious."

After that, there was no more small talk. The three of them reached the back flank of the warehouse. Mami glanced at her watch.

"We have approximately one more minute before we attack. Any last-minute strategies?" questioned the blonde-haired girl.

Shika stared straight at the dark warehouse above them. "I can't think of any, but let me just tell you this – Homura is a master of tricks. She never runs out of gimmicks to fool you, and she has many minions at her disposal. She even holds onto a few Grief Seeds just so she can hatch them on us to stop us from attacking her. She's not one to be misjudged, so be careful at all times. Don't be surprised if Mikuni-san's plan goes haywire."

Mami bobbed her head once. "Roger, Kiyomizu-san. Time's just up. Let's begin."

"Yes..." said Shika, her eyes lighting up with battle fever. "...Let's begin the hunt."

All four teams surged up the hill as one, surrounding the warehouse. Oriko and Kirika hurried through the undergrowth and prickly brush, making a headway for one of the windows. Their plan was to break in and surround Homura's room, disabling all her escape routes.

Kirika arrived before Oriko. Using her good hand, she activated her claws and slashed at the glass window, slicing it neatly without a sound. Carefully, she removed the glass shards, then signalled for Oriko to come.

They climbed into the warehouse, expecting to see a room filled with time-pieces, but was met by a weird sight instead. They were inside a large pure white chamber, and it was empty save for a door on the opposite end.

Before Oriko could make any sense of it, Kyoko and Yuma came tumbling in behind them.

"Eh?" Oriko was startled to see them here. "Aren't you two supposed to take the left flank? Why are you here? Explain yourselves!"

Kyoko growled. "How should I know why we're here with you? We took our flank, alright. Seems like it's you two that fumbled."

Oriko bit back a sharp retort. "Whatever is hap-"

"Oriko! The twins are here too!" shouted Kirika, tugging at Oriko's arm.

Indeed, the twins were at the very same entrance, looking befuddled. "H-How? Why are we here?" stuttered Luna.

"Why are _they_ here?" exclaimed Estella, pointing at Oriko and the others.

Before anyone could reply, Mami, Shika and Nagisa came jumping in from the same entrance. The blonde-haired girl looked flabbergasted.

"Eh? Why is everyone here?" she asked. "Weren't we supposed to commence a pincer attack?"

Oriko's eyebrow twitched in exasperation. "How should I know why everyone's here? Did you all forget my instructions-"

Shika clamped a hand over Oriko's mouth, muffling her words. "Quiet, Homura Akemi is listening to us now. She's somewhere around here..." said Shika, her voice low like a sibilant hiss.

The entire Strike Force froze up. If Shika was right about Homura listening to them, their plan would be destroyed.

"I have a bad feeling about this, Mikuni-san," said Mami, keeping her back to Kyoko's. The red-head made a grunt, as if agreeing.

"Everyone, form a circle. Face front. Keep your shoulders close to the person next to you," ordered Shika swiftly. In the face of battle, all her usual timidness seemed to melt away. The Strike Force did as told. Even the bossy Oriko obeyed.

"Hmph. You knew I was here, didn't you, Kiyomizu?" The familiar, hated voice came out of nowhere.

Shika frowned, her visage like that of a vicious dragon. "Where else would you be, Demon?" she replied, looking around the empty white room for any signs of her mortal enemy. Her green eyes lit up with thunderous blood-lust.

Homura chuckled. "You should be at home, tending to your two friends, instead of being out here to hunt me. You can leave that to the other girls."

"And allow them to be killed by you?" shouted Shika, her warhammer appearing in her hands. Her muscles began to tense up.

"Of course. That's the whole point of luring them into this warehouse. But I shouldn't call it a warehouse anymore..."

The entrance from which the Strike Force had entered suddenly disappeared. Yuma and Nagisa clutched at each other in fear.

"The window's gone!" yelped Nagisa. "We can't escape!"

The Demon laughed annoyingly, the strident cackling reverberating inside the white room. "Ahahahah! Now, all of you will die tonight! And when I'm done with you, Kiyomizu, your friends will be next!"

"You won't kill me just yet, Demon!" yelled Shika, challenging the invisible Homura. "The moment you appear, I'll crush you!"

"Tsk tsk. Killing me is not your priority right now. Once again, you are forced to leave me alone, like what happened in the park," said Homura, the glee evident in her voice. "Escaping this place alive is your main importance... Isn't it?"

Oriko finally found her tongue again. "Yes, it is! And when we escape, we will kill you for sure, Demon!"

However, Homura was not impressed. "Brave, foolish words never did save a person's life, Oriko Mikuni. I remember you well. You killed Madoka once. I will not let that happen again."

"I have never done such a thing, Demon," retorted Oriko, feeling stung by Homura. "Killing innocent people is not what I was brought up to do!"

"Hmph, pity you can't remember that timeline. If you insist," said Homura carelessly. "I'll be taking my leave now. If you survive to the end of this 'warehouse', you'll have the honour of meeting me in person. Have fun..." With a final uproarious laugh, Homura's presence in the room quickly vanished.

The girls were shaken. "What are we supposed to do now?" said Mami, feeling afraid for everyone's safety.

"We have to get out of this place, and the only way we can go is through that," said Shika, pointing at the door on the far end of the room.

"Agreed. Let's get the frick out of this place before that crazed nut comes again," said Kyoko hurriedly, taking Yuma's hand.

"Yes, let's go, quick-like," said Estella while her twin nodded furiously. They were not eager to stay in the empty room.

Oriko opened her mouth to say something, but Kyoko quickly cut across her. "Whatever you have to say, Mikuni, I no longer trust you. Your plans are all but disastrous. Ambush? Huh, more like walking ourselves into a bloody trap! I'm not taking no shit from you any longer!"

Mami gave a tiny gasp at Kyoko's words, but did not say anything else. She looked to Shika, as if waiting for instructions from the Elemental Magi.

Oriko looked resentful, but she masked it away. Kirika pouted. She knew that her friend had lost all her authority for this mission, with everyone now weighing their chances of survival on Shika.

The Earth Shaker was not too perturbed about the sudden change in leadership. She gave everyone a meaningful glance.

"Let's go."

After passing through the door, they entered a narrow tunnel. It was bright and white, like the previous room. The ceiling was very low, and the older girls had to stoop over while walking. Kyoko took the lead, followed closely by Yuma. Nagisa and Mami were at the very back, with Shika being last.

The Earth Magi felt her insides cramp up. She hated closed spaces. Not only could she not move freely in them, the worst feeling was that of being trapped and helpless, as well as suffocated.

 _If anything were to appear now and attack them..._

There was a short scream from the back. Immediately, Shika looked behind. A mob of unidentified creatures were running towards them like miniature race cars, expelling a cloud of exhaust fumes behind them.

"Monsters! Run!" shrieked Nagisa, pulling Mami along as she began to run. She crashed into Shika, who subsequently crashed into Luna.

"Stay calm! Don't panic!" shouted Shika above the din being created by the girls. "Sakura-san, run as fast as you can! The others, follow her!"

There was no need for second biddings. The Puella Magi ran hard and fast, their heads bumping along the ceiling as they dashed ahead.

"When is this tunnel ending?" wailed Luna, panting hard.

"God knows!" replied her twin, dragging her along.

"Dammit, my arm's being scraped real bad!" said Kirika, wincing in pain as her broken arm was bashed by the tunnel walls.

"Is your arm or your life more important now, Kirika?" wheezed Oriko, trying her best to keep up.

The mob was catching up. Shika risked a backwards glance, and saw that they would be overwhelmed soon.

"Keep running! Don't stop until you see an exit!" commanded the Earth Magi, stopping her flight. She would slay the mob before it caused any problems. Thrusting a hand forward, she made the earth under the tunnel shoot up, forming a barrier against the creatures. They yowled and clawed at the earth.

Satisfied, Shika was about to continue her escape when the mob suddenly broke through. The creatures had eaten away the earth. Shocked that her barrier had failed, she shot off a stream of fire from her hands, hoping to burn them, but they simply charged through it. Some were burnt to cinders, but there were still more than enough to wreak havoc on the Puella Magi.

"Hell," cursed Shika, grimacing. Raising the earth in front of her, she shaped it into multiple panthers, which promptly pounced at the mob.

While the earthen panthers sought to hold back the mob, Shika ran back to the group. There were too many of the creatures though, and the panthers couldn't keep all of them back. Most of them slipped through the earthen animals, making a headway for the Magi.

Panting hard, Shika stopped again. Just how many of the creatures were there? She had to hold back the mob for the others to escape. As she was about to launch an electric falcon at the horde, a large shape streaked past her. It looked like a huge worm dotted with red spots.

"What the-" Shika had no time to react. Mami's cries came from further down the tunnel.

"Bebe! _Don't!_ Come back!" she screamed. She ran towards the worm-like creature, a desperate light in her eyes.

Shika quickly shot out an arm to grab Mami. "Don't go back there! You'll be torn to shreds!"

"No, I have to save Bebe!" she pleaded, tears in her eyes. "I have to save Nagisa-chan!"

"Bebe? Nagisa..." Shika was shocked. "Don't tell me... Nagisa-san is a Witch?"

"Yes! Now please, let me go after her!" said Mami, straining to get out of Shika's arms.

"No! Pull yourself together, Tomoe-san!" said Shika, hardening her voice. "If Nagisa-san is a Witch, they probably won't kill her. I think we're inside a Witch's barrier, and those were its Familiars. Trust in Nagisa-san's abilities, she'll win!"

Mami wiped at her eyes. The sounds of Nagisa battling the Familiars were horrifying. Screams and shrieks echoed down the tunnel. Sniffing, Mami stopped struggling and put on a brave face.

"I have to trust in Bebe. You're right, Kiyomizu-san. She'll make it out alive!" she said, hope evident in her tone.

The two Puella Magi resumed their escape, with Mami painfully blocking out the Dessert Witch's cries.

The exit loomed into view. Mami and Shika tumbled out of the tunnel, sobbing for breath. The others were already there, winded. Again, they were inside a white dome with a door at the other end.

"Nagisa-chan? Where is she?" said Yuma, panicking about her friend's absence.

"She'll be coming shortly," said Mami, sounding more confident than she looked. "She's right behind us."

True to Mami's words, the little girl soon came running down the tunnel. There were wounds all over her body, but they were nothing serious. "Mami! I'm here! I'm safe!"

Mami breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness!"

"I'm coming, Mam-"

The exit to the tunnel shut off all of a sudden. Rows of metal spikes shot out from both sides, stabbing Nagisa through. The poor girl had no time to scream. Her death was too sudden.

"NAGISA!" screamed Mami, horror-struck. She ran to her young friend, about to reach for her body, when Kyoko jumped at Mami.

"Don't! More of those Familiars are coming! Nagisa didn't manage to kill all of them!"

The exhaust-fume creatures crashed into the metal spikes. They raised a din, then began to tear at Nagisa's flesh, devouring it.

"While they're busy with that, we should run!" yelled Oriko. "There's no more hope for Momoe-san! Escape while we can!"

With that cold-blooded order, everyone ran for the door. Mami had to be pulled along by Kyoko, who tried to snap her back to reality.

"There's no time to grieve! Save that for later, your life right now is more important!"

It seemed to work. Mami began running, her hot tears falling onto the cool, tiled floors. "But Nagisa-chan, you promised to have cheese cake together... Why?" she wept as she ran. Kyoko bit on her lip as she heard Mami's words. She will have to comfort her later.

The Strike Force burst through the next door, finding themselves in a large, barren room.

"Woah..." Kirika whistled. "This is one big room..."

"Where's the exit?" panted Kyoko, supporting a dazed Mami. "We have to get out of here fast. Mami-senpai is in no condition to go through this shit any longer."

"I think the exit's at the far end of the room. We'd better hurry!" said Estella, leading the group onwards.

The small party straggled onwards slowly, Nagisa's death weighing heavily on their minds.

"Just how big is this room?" grumbled Kirika. "We're not seeing any end to this."

"Patience, Kirika," said Oriko. "We'll get to it soo-"

A drop of water landed on her nose. It was scalding hot.

Shrieking in pain, Oriko leapt back, falling onto Shika.

"What's the matter?" asked Shika at once. "Why did y-"

Her question was answered swiftly. Another drop of water landed on Shika's arm, scorching through her leather arm guard and burning her skin. She yelled from the sting.

More drops began to fall. The girls yelled painfully as their skin came into contact with the hot rain.

"Run! Don't look back, just run!" shouted Shika. The call was taken up, and soon, all the girls were sprinting towards the unseen exit.

"I think I see a door!" said Luna. "Hurry, this way!"

The rain increased in intensity. Shouts were becoming more frequent. Kyoko chanced a look upwards to see what was causing the caustic rain. To her horror, plastered to the ceiling were a group of toad-like Familiars. They were drooling; their saliva was the rain.

Upon seeing the Puella Magi near the exit, the toads hopped over and released a torrent of boiling saliva. The liquid poured down like a waterfall.

Kyoko acted quickly. She pressed her palms together, summoning her magic barrier. The diamond-chains criss-crossed each other, forming a wall of magic that prevented the saliva from reaching the girls. The liquid washed off of the barrier, pouring over to the sides.

"Sakura-san! Thank God!" exclaimed Oriko, grateful for Kyoko's timely action.

The toads saw that their quarry was negating their efforts to kill them. Incensed, they spewed forth even more of their scorching spittle. The drool flew at Kyoko's barrier like a jet pump at high pressure.

Grunting under the effort, Kyoko urged her friends onwards. "Go! Whaddaya waiting for? Run before these Familiars overwhelm my magic!"

Extending her barrier over her party, Kyoko stayed on the spot and strained against the pressure. All around her, the walls seemed to be closing in.

"Am I dreaming or are the walls getting closer?" asked Kirika, running side by side with Oriko.

"You're not dreaming, Kure-san, they _are_ getting closer!" said Shika, driving the rest of the Strike Force forward. "Quick, to the exit before the walls close in and crush us!"

"But Kyoko-!" Yuma reached out a hand for her red-haired friend, but Mami quickly pulled her along.

"Sakura-san is capable of taking care of herself, Chitose-san. For now, all you have to do is run!" said Mami, thinking about Nagisa's death.

"All we've been doing is run! Yuma wants to help Kyoko!" said the young girl defiantly.

"Hurry, the exit's closing up!" yelled Oriko, who had reached the door first. "There's a stone slab that's moving downwards; it's closing off the door. Be quick before we're crushed to death!"

The toads' saliva was pooling around the girl's feet by now. Kyoko was screaming, her legs being burnt. As the girls squeezed through the narrow door one by one, Yuma hung back, waiting for her beloved Kyoko.

"C'mon, Kyoko! Move!" said Yuma, crying. "Kyoko can't leave me alone!"

Kyoko groaned in agony, slowly inching closer to the door. "Get out of this foul place alive, Yuma, you hear me? Ugh...! If I don't make it out-"

"No! I will make sure Kyoko gets out!"

"The exit's closing!" said Shika urgently, standing by the closing door. The saliva was burning at her legs as well, but her armour prevented any serious injury. "Hurry, Sakura-san, Chitose-san!"

"I can't move properly with this bloody weight on me!" shrieked Kyoko as the toads released a fresh torrent of saliva. "Get Yuma out safely for me!"

Abruptly, Yuma rushed out at Kyoko and grabbed her arm. "Yuma's wish was to be able to save Kyoko no matter what, so Yuma will save Kyoko now!"

With strength belying one of her size, the little green-haired girl flung Kyoko towards the exit, right on top of Shika. The impact caused the both of them to fall backwards into the exit. But as Kyoko was flung away, her magic barriers fell as well. Tonnes of boiling saliva crashed down upon Yuma, cooking her alive. Before the liquid could leak out, the stone slab shut to a grinding halt.

Splashed here and there with the foul liquid, Kyoko blinked slowly in disbelief. _Did Yuma just sacrifice herself in order to save her?_

Getting up, Kyoko banged her hands upon the stone slab feverishly, yelling in torment. "Yuma? _Yuma?!_ Can you hear me?!"

Shika swallowed a lump in her throat. "She's beyond saving now. The liquid would have scalded her to death. If not, the walls would have crushed her..."

" _I didn't need you to tell me that!"_ raged Kyoko, turning on Shika in high anger. The Elemental flinched involuntarily. "Goddammit open this cursed slab so I can get to Yuma! _Open, you stupid stone block_!"

Shika grabbed at Kyoko's arms, tugging her back forcefully. "It's no use shouting at a stone block, Sakura-san! Get a grip on yourself!"

"You'd know how I feel if someone close to you dies too!" shouted Kyoko, crying openly. "First, it was Sayaka, now it's Yuma. God really does hate me!"

"God hates _all_ of us..." mumbled Shika to herself. Had God not forsaken them, they would not have to make contracts with the Incubators in return for a coveted, single wish to make their life better.

God had forsook _all_ Puella Magi on Earth.

When the others heard about Yuma's death, they were all shocked by the sudden news.

"Why? Why must the young ones die...?" whispered Mami, her tears staining her face like brown cracks on a sheet of glass.

"They were true warriors..." said Luna, hanging her head.

"I am deeply sorry that they died... but we can't stop now," said Oriko, quickly recomposing herself. Her mind flashed back to her foresight earlier on, which had concerned the two young girls. It had come true. "We have to get out of this place before Akemi kills all of us! Don't let Chitose-san and Momoe-san's deaths be in vain."

"You're right, Mikuni-san," said Mami, her tone sounding quite hollow. "When we get out of this mess, I will hunt down Akemi-san and put an end to her atrocities..."

"Count me in, Mami-senpai..." added Kyoko, sounding equally hollow. "I won't allow Yuma's sacrifice to go in vain." She cast an unforgiving look at Oriko. "Also... was your vision this morning by any chance relating to these deaths?"

Oriko realised that she was caught out. She made no attempt to sugar-coat her words. "Yes, it was related. I already foresaw Chitose-san and Momoe-san's deaths. However, I allowed it to happen because they would die so that you and Tomoe-san would be kept alive. Your battle value is much high than those two kids, and it is vital that you remain alive before Homura Akemi is killed."

"You _snake_..." snarled Kyoko, attempting to grab at Oriko, but Kirika was faster. The brunette placed herself firmly in front of Oriko, blocking her from Kyoko.

"What's happened has happened, there ain't no use in regretting now," said Kirika. "I know you're sad now, and I am too, but we've gotta move on."

For the first time ever, Kirika spoke some sense. Hassled, Kyoko backed down, muttering curses to herself.

"Come on, let's continue," said Shika to her party. "The quicker we get out of here, the better. We will grieve the deaths properly once we're free."

Mami wiped her tears away. "I will bake a lovely cheesecake in memory of Nagisa-chan..."

Kyoko just grunted.

In the new room that they had emerged in, it was the same as the first room. It was large and blinding white. However, they couldn't see any exit.

"What's this? There are no more doors!" said Estella, flustered. "How are we going to escape?"

"I think this may be the centre of the barrier." Shika stared straight ahead, as if there were something there.

"What is it, Kiyomizu-san? Do you see something?" asked Mami, going up to Shika's side.

"I saw a small ripple at the far end of the room," replied Shika, keeping her voice low. "I think its the Witch. It's camouflaging itself against the walls like a chameleon..."

With a gesture of her hands, Shika motioned the rest of the Puella Magi to crowd around her. "Assume the circular position again, the one we did in the first room," she whispered, loud enough for the others to hear. "This Witch is likely to jump out at any direction, and we can't see her unless she moves. Be alert and ready. Watch out for ripples in the air - it means that the Witch is there."

The girls quickly did as they were told. Everyone held their breaths, not daring to move. It was a very agonizing waiting game. No one saw any ripples. The Witch didn't seem to be moving. After all, she was comfortable in her own barrier. She could wait forever for the girls to move.

Shika realised this, and leaned her head closer to Mami's, whispering, "The Witch won't move unless we do. We can't wait her out like this. I have a plan, pass it along the line so everyone hears it."

As the plan was whispered from member to member, Shika readied herself. She had yet to master the other elements besides earth, but the situation was forcing her to use them, regardless of lack of skill. Raising an earth barrier around them, she formed a castle-like structure around the Strike Force with six window slits for projectile attacks. Inside, the girls each took a window, on high alert.

Shika remained outside the structure, standing boldly on the top of her earthen castle. Closing her eyes, she thought of Akira, and tried to recall how her friend battled with her ice magic. She could feel icy swirls at her fingertips; snowflakes were forming around her palms.

A blizzard with the power of a typhoon brew up around Shika. Snow flurries lashed about, coating the walls and floors with the white, powdery substance. A wail could be heard to Shika's left. Keeping the blizzard in full force, the Elemental Magi turned to the direction of the noise and saw a vague shape, thrashing around. The snow had settled on the invisible Witch, outlining her in plain sight.

"Attack! Shoot the Witch!" commanded Shika, releasing a bolt of lightning at the Witch. It hit true, and the monster shrieked in pain.

Musket shots were heard. A long red spear-head blazed out, followed by a double-headed sword. Multiple metal balls whizzed at the now-visible Witch. All the weapons fired into the Witch's side, toppling her over. With a final jerk, she died, her barrier beginning to recede. A Grief Seed appeared where she had fallen.

Hopping down from her castle, Shika summoned the winds to pick up the Grief Seed and bring it to her. The light zephyrs deposited it into her palm. With a quick flip of her hand, the earth castle sank back into the ground, releasing the Strike Force members. They all shared the small Grief Seed.

"The Witch was killed so quickly, thanks to Kiyomizu-san's orders," mumbled Mami to Kyoko. "She seems to be a very experienced veteran."

"I don't give a damn about her being experienced right now. If she's keeping us alive, then that's good enough," replied Kyoko straightforwardly.

"Where are we now...?" said Kirika when she was done purifying, looking around. Their surroundings had not reverted back to the warehouse upon the Witch's death. They were inside a vacant, circular arena. There were spectator seats raised above them, and against the walls were numerous cage bars. Something obviously lay inside those dark cages, judging by the shuffling, popping sounds coming from them.

"Beats me where we are, but it must be anything but 'nice'," growled Luna, readying her polearm.

"Hmph... It seems that most of you survived the Witch's trick house..." Homura's voice could be heard coming from above. Some of the girls jumped in surprise at the Demon's sudden speech.

Shika cocked her head back at once, glaring at the skies. "Homura Akemi! What do you mean by putting us here? Show yourself!"

Homura's chuckle was beginning to become very infuriating. She appeared from nowhere, seating herself on the topmost spectator seat. Her raven wings flapped once, then folded themselves neatly. "I'm surprised you're still alive. Honestly, I thought that the Witch's minions would finish you off for good. That's why I made this little... 'backup' in case some of you rats came out alive..."

The arena's many cage bars shot up, releasing whatever was inside. Gangs of Wraiths and Brocken Wraiths poured out from inside the walls, surrounding the girls at once. There were too many of them to count.

Overwhelmed, all the girls backed against each other. "What are we going to do?" whined Kirika, pressing herself closer to Oriko.

"We've got no choice but to kill them all," said Shika, gritting her teeth. "Take on as many as you can, but don't allow yourself to be overpowered. Never leave your back unattended. Fight with a partner!"

They all teamed up - Oriko with Kirika, Mami with Kyoko, and Estella with Luna. Shika summoned two earthen lions to her side, securing both her flanks.

"Oh, this is going to be _exciting_ ," crooned Homura, licking her a finger. "I can already taste the _blood._ "

As Homura's mad cackle rang through the arena, the girls engaged the enemy. Pixels and blood flew. Limbs were severed. Heads were lopped off. Bodies were exploded.

"If you want to escape, you can always negotiate with me," said Homura, her voice gleeful.

"Negotiate what?" hissed Shika, her warhammer smashing into multiple Wraiths. They fell to the floor and promptly died.

"Hmm, maybe... if someone willingly comes up to me and let herself be killed, I'll kill these Wraiths and let you go free," smirked Homura, licking her lips.

All the girls heard Homura's offer. "Fat chance we'd let ourselves be killed as your offering!" shouted Kyoko, her spear slicing through a Wraith's arm.

"Oh, is that so?" Homura faked a pout. "Then I'll be forced to let more Wraiths upon you." She snapped her fingers once. More cages opened, and Wraiths streamed out like a cloud of locusts.

At the sight of more enemies, the Magi began to quail. They were sorely outnumbered. They began to back away, and soon found themselves shoulder to shoulder again.

"If this keeps up, we're all going to die," said Oriko, sending her metal balls whizzing at the nearest Wraiths. "Someone will have to die to sate Akemi's thirst for blood."

Mami gasped. "How can you even suggest such a thing?" She quickly grabbed at Kyoko's arm protectively.

"One more dying is better than all of us dying!" said Oriko, desperate.

"I'll die then."

All heads turned to the direction of the voice.

"Kure-san..." Mami swallowed a sob. "No, you can't just throw away your life!"

Kirika's face was serious. "I'm hurt and useless at fighting now, so it's only logical that I should die so that you guys can escape. I'm sure Oriko agrees."

Oriko's stomach gave a nasty flip. She didn't want to agree, but the circumstances made it vital that she did. "I... agree," she said softly, hiding away her guilty face.

"It's settled then... Bye, guys, it was nice meeting you," grinned Kirika. Before anyone could stop her, she leapt out from the circle and shouted out to Homura.

"Oi, Demon! Stop these Wraiths and kill me instead!" Although she sounded brave, she was all but trembling inside from pure terror.

"Nice! I admire your bravery and stupidity!" said Homura, clapping solemnly. All the Wraiths suddenly screamed and twisted about, exploding into pixels. At the same time, Kirika collapsed to the floor, her eyes rolling up into her head.

She was dead.

"I've kept my promise. You are all free to leave," smiled Homura, standing up. The arena faded away, reverting to the warehouse. The Demon unfurled her wings and launched herself into the morning sky, cackling like the demon she was.

The Puella Magi were all too shaken to even process that they were still alive. Even Shika was shocked at the sudden termination of the Wraiths as well as Kirika's life.

"I'm going." Kyoko suddenly spoke up. "I'm going and never coming back."

"What are you talking about, Sakura-san?" said Mami immediately, holding on Kyoko's hand.

Kyoko flew into a rage and roughly shook off Mami. "I'm leaving this shit hole! I ain't ever coming back here again! Ever since I joined this shit, bad things happened. Now Yuma is dead and its all your fault, Mikuni!"

Oriko shrank back. Now that Kirika was gone, there was no one to stand up for her.

"Sakura-san, calm down!" pleaded Mami, "Don't argue-"

"Shut up, Mami! I'm going! Don't follow me!" Kyoko wiped at the tears in her eyes, then ran away into the darkness, cursing openly.

Because she was not part of the Strike Force, Shika just stayed silent as it all unfolded. She noticed that the twins were being silent as well. Those two had always been acting suspiciously, but Shika had no proof that they were plotting something.

Mami's face was pale. In the span of a few minutes, all the people that she loved and cared for were dead or gone. She couldn't accept it. Crumpling to the floor, she began to cry. Oriko awkwardly patted her back in an attempt to comfort her.

The twins finally said something. "Hey, we gotta go back now," began Estella.

"Our parents would be worried," finished Luna. The duo left without another word.

There was guilt in their eyes. Shika saw it at once, but remained quiet. The dealings within the Strike Force was not hers to interfere with.

Once Mami was fit to walk, Oriko took her back home. Shika followed them, and once she saw that they were safe, she left for Kazamino, feeling extremely distasteful.

"You've both done an excellent job today," praised Homura, her hands resting on the shoulders of her two spies. "Your reward will be waiting for you at home."

The spies remained mute.

"Feeling guilty that you caused the death of your friends?" Homura clicked her tongue. "Aww, such poor things, but this is what you signed up for! It was smart of you both to break Kirika Kure's arm so that she couldn't fight. That's why she willingly allowed herself to be killed in order to save the others. Very smart of you two indeed."

They still did not utter a word.

"Oh well, stay quiet if you wish, then," said Homura, her hands dropping back to her sides. "You still have two more targets to kill in Mitakihara, and three in Kazamino. If you manage it, I will be sure to reward you both plenty."

The two spies nodded in unison.

"...As you wish, Homura Akemi."


	39. Chapter 37 : New Troubles

**A/N : I realised that I wrongly understood the concept of entropy. The Incubators are in fact trying to combat entropy (the destruction of the universe/heat death of the universe), and to do so, they need to harvest energy in the form of emotional fluxes given off by Puella Magi at the moment they turn into Witches. I've been writing like as if entropy is a thing that the Incubators have been trying to preserve, so I would like to draw your attention away from that and now, instead see that the Incubators are merely trying to oppose entropy. Some terms will change here and there, and I hope it's not too jarring.**

Ryubey was unsettled. He paced the laboratory on agitated paws, running through his mind what Kyubey had told him just minutes ago. Watching him was the impassive sable-furred Xyubey.

"Three Puella Magi, _dead_...! I can't _believe_ this!" he muttered darkly to himself. "Just what is Homura Akemi up to, slaughtering them? She is very well aware that we need them to despair and turn into Witches in order to harvest energy. This... _thing_ she's doing, it's not helping at all!"

The Researcher, Xyubey, cocked his head to one side. "These killings may have something to do with protecting Madoka Kaname and keeping her from Awakening to her Goddess self. After all, you've just confirmed, with the help of the Earth Shaker, that she is indeed the Goddess of the Law of Cycles. This means a lot of things for us Incubators... and it also explains why Akemi put Kaname in the Fake City, away from our reach. She probably realises that if we know about Kaname's existence as a Goddess, we would control her and use her for our own gains. Something that Akemi would want to avoid."

"It makes sense," nodded Ryubey slowly. "But... the main problem still persists - why is Akemi murdering the Puella Magi with no seemingly _sane_ reason?" His snout wrinkled up with confusion.

"I'm sure there's a reason behind her actions, we've just yet to find out why," said Xyubey curtly. "I'm assuming it has something to do with stopping Madoka Kaname from Awakening."

"Hmph." The purple Incubator huffed thoughtfully. "You do have a point there. If there are no Puella Magi or Witches to take away to the Law, then she would not Awaken and remain human forever... Why Akemi wants Madoka to remain human though, is beyond my comprehension."

"It is beyond mine too. But... that is why Akemi also made her weapon of mass destruction, the Fusion Witch - to wipe out all remaining Puella Magi on the face of Earth. This would mean serious problems for our energy harvesting endeavours."

Ryubey shook his maned head solemnly. "It seems that we would have to depend on the Trinity to deal with the Demon and her abomination. Once Akemi is out of the way, then we have to manipulate the Trinity to follow our orders, then capture the Goddess and make her abandon the Law of Cycles. And... if Kiyomizu is really our Saviour, then she will slay Kaname for us, and become the next Goddess... One that will ensure that energy is harvested to stop entropy, no matter the cost!"

"Indeed." Xyubey closed his eyes. "Let us hope that our prophecy comes true, and Kiyomizu is indeed our Saviour. With Akemi in reign, we have only lost too much of the precious energy needed to combat entropy. The date of the heat death of the universe draws closer without our intervention."

"Then in the name of delaying entropy, I will make sure that Kiyomizu becomes the Messiah..." mused Ryubey, his ears flicking rapidly. "Forget about her being the Angel of Madoka Kaname... She will be _Satan_ reincarnate; she will betray her own Goddess... _and slay her for us_."

Ever since returning from the warehouse raid in Mitakihara, Shika had not been able to sleep, even though she was bone-weary. The deaths of Kirika, Yuma and Nagisa were creeping about in her mind. Although she wasn't close to them, she still felt sorry for them. If only they had listened to her and not rushed into the attack. If only she had been more persistent and stopped them...

She curled up into a tight ball on her ratty old sofa, wondering now about Akira. Was she okay? Did the huge gash on her chest heal yet, or was it still open? She had not received any news about her friend, and she was worried.

"Senpai...?"

The tired little voice brought her back to the present. Craning her neck around towards the bedroom door, Shika took in the small, hunched up form of Tera. Next to her was Yuki, looking anxious. The younger girl still looked pale and weak, a husk of her former bravado.

"Hey, Tera-san," said Shika softly, as if afraid to break the early morning quiet. She uncurled from her position on the sofa and sat up straighter. "How are you feeling?"

Tera wiped at her eyes and sniffed. "Terrible... I had nightmares the whole damn night. About Rikka, and Homura Akemi. And I feel like a million pieces of shit."

Shika did not know how to reply to that. Instead, she got up and went over to her young friend, patting her gently on the back to show her support. Tera seemed a bit surprised, but didn't object to it.

"Thanks for being concerned, senpai," she muttered, looking at the floor. After a pause, she added, "You must have had it hard too, _last night_..."

Shika slumped slightly. "Yeah... Sorry I didn't bring you along. You were not fit to fight and I was scared for you, after what happened to... Akira."

"It's okay, I understand. For the first time ever, I'm actually glad I'm not out there fightin'," replied Tera with a small shiver. "And, talkin' 'bout Akira-senpai..."

Shika's heart jumped. She immediately became alert, grabbing Tera's hand. "What about her? Is she okay?" she demanded aggressively, desperation showing on her placid features.

"S-She called this mornin', while you were out, so I picked up. She... doesn't seem so good," gulped Tera, picking at her fingernails fretfully. "The doctors had to give her stitches, but that big chest wound wouldn't close, like it was cursed. It's been bleedin' the whole time and the only thing keepin' her alive is the blood transfusion."

A sharp inhale issued from Shika's lips. This couldn't be happening! "What else did she tell you?" she pressed urgently, her grip on Tera's hand tightening.

Tera winced. "Uh... She said not to worry?"

" _Not to worry?_ " repeated Shika incredulously, suddenly releasing Tera. "How can I _not_ worry about her? She almost _died_!" To her horror, tears appeared in her eyes. She turned her back on Tera quickly to hide them.

"Hey hey, calm down, senpai," said Tera hurriedly, reaching out to touch Shika's shoulders. "She'll be fine! She's strong, she won't let some Demon curse kill her, right?"

"But even magic can't heal her," choked Shika, covering her mouth with a hand. "What should I do?"

There was an unpleasant silence. "...You should sleep. And eat somethin'," said Tera finally. "You look like a goddamn hag. You just fought Homura Akemi, _again_. And whatever happened at Mitakihara, it can't be good cause you look like you've just seen the Holy G... If Akira-senpai sees you like this, she'd more likely to die of a heart attack than from that chest wound."

Shika could have slapped Tera for being so insensitive about Akira, but she didn't. Unfortunately, the young girl's words carried sense. She hadn't slept properly lately, and fights frequently brewed up, resulting in no time for rest. Besides, her newly Awakened form was more taxing on her physical and magical stores, maybe because she still didn't know how to harness its powers properly yet.

She was, in short, exhausted.

"Alright, you win," said Shika weakly. "I'll go sleep now. If anything happens, wake me up, especially if it's a call from Akira."

"I'll be sure to do that," reassured Tera. Her stomach gave a sudden growl, and she grinned sheepishly.

Shika couldn't help smiling. "Help yourself to the cereal in the cupboard. Eat as much as you want."

The tiger beamed. "Kay. Sleep well, senpai."

"I'll try..." As she walked into her bedroom and closed the door, dread seized her heart again.

Would Akira really be alright?

Homura toyed with her lizard earring, staring at the two figures walking on the pavement below her. From her perch high up on the roof of a tower, she watched them silently, her acute hearing enabling her to listen to what they were saying.

"I know you're anguished, Tomoe-san, but you've gotta pick yourself up if we are to slay Homura Akemi," said Oriko, placing a hand on Mami's shoulder.

"I know... just give me some time to recover, alright?" Mami gave a sniff and stopped walking, her hand going to her eyes. She wiped away some tears, then said, "Aren't you shaken by our friends' deaths, Mikuni-san?"

Oriko stopped in her tracks as well. "Of course I am..." Her usually commandeering voice was stripped away, leaving behind a voice full of hurt and doubt. "What's past is past, though, so we have to move on and honour their sacrifices as a chance for us to avenge them. We have an even greater drive to kill the Demon now because of this."

"We have to find Sakura-san first," said Mami, looking at Oriko resolutely. "Also, I think it would be wisest to contact Kiyomizu-san and her friends. If it weren't for her, I doubt we'd still be alive now. Her leadership is required for our success."

Oriko grunted. "Sure, she saved our lives, but we lost three in the process. If she is as great a leader as you claim her to be, wouldn't we all be alive now?"

"She managed to prevent total annihilation, so that's good enough for me..."

The two girls fell silent, with only the wind sighing over the treetops breaking it.

"We have to go to Kiyomizu-san's place tomorrow and discuss our future plans. I don't see any other way to it," said Mami, finally.

Reluctantly, Oriko nodded. "We have no other choice. We will have to enlist the help of the Kazaminoans..."

"We will have to locate Sakura-san too, and make sure the twins are okay," Mami added. "I hope Sakura-san hasn't gotten herself into trouble..."

"The redhead will be fine. She just needs to cool down..." reassured Oriko. "Come, let us go to the twins' house and discuss our next plans."

Homura had heard enough. Unfurling her raven wings, she stepped off the tower and swooped away, towards the old warehouse. Her spies were waiting for her there.

"Tomoe and Mikuni are heading over to your house right now, twins," remarked Homura casually as she landed next to the two Puella Magi. She folded her wings and they shimmered away into particles of purple dust. "Maybe you should go home and entertain them. Then tell me what you've discussed."

Estella fidgeted uncomfortably, giving a hasty glance at her sister, Luna. "Well..." she hesitated, shifting from one foot to another. "I mean... we could tell you what we've discussed, but can you promise not to kill anyone else? Three of them are already... dead. And Luna and I don't feel too good about it-"

"Nonsense!" laughed Homura, eyeing them beadily. "It's all part of the contract you both sealed with me. Remember, you offered your espionage services on the condition that I make your parents stay home more often, so that you can spend more time with them. They're home most of the time now, so you cannot complain that I have not been keeping my word. Have you been enjoying your time with daddy and mummy?" crooned the Demon with a sickly sweet smile.

Luna shrank back a bit at the sight of Homura's expression. "Yes, we're glad that we get to spend more time with them now, thanks to you. But we didn't expect that you'd use the information we gave you to... to _kill_ our comrades."

"Oh, you weren't the ones killing them, so don't worry about that," said Homura airily, tossing back her black hair. "Your hands are clean for now, as far as I know. You're merely making it easier for _me_ to kill them, so I must thank you for all the wonderful intel you've given me."

The twins exchanged nervous glances. They were beginning to see that their contract with the Demon was a big mistake. Sure, they finally got what they wanted - to spend more time with their busy parents, but at cost? Three more of their friends were dead, and it was entirely _their_ fault. Whatever guilt they had before when first offering their services to Homura was now intensified by tenfold.

They regretted it immensely.

Estella scuffed her toe on the ground, about to broach a touchy topic. "Akemi-san... seeing as you've already had your way with the Strike Force, I don't think they'd dare to oppose you anymore. Why not just leave them alone? I'll convince Mikuni-san and Tomoe-san to terminate all attacks on you. They'd listen to reason."

"Yeah! We could stop all this... murdering! Don't you think that's a better idea?" injected Luna hastily, her voice rising into a squeak. "It's just, _you know_ , very unpleasant to kill your friends?"

Homura gave them a disdainful glare. "You don't even know why I'm killing them. You have no right to stop me, now that you are under my command. I will still require your services... Unless, of course, you want to break the contract-"

The twins jumped at the chance. "If that is possible, then ye-"

"-under the pain of death. I wasn't finished," said Homura smoothly.

Both girls were thunderstruck. "D-Death...?" uttered Luna uneasily, biting on her lower lip. "B-But we didn't do anything to offend you-"

"I don't need to be offended to kill someone, though that _would_ be an added bonus," snorted Homura, hands akimbo. "Just know that I'm on a mission to kill _every single Puella Magi_ there is on Earth, starting with those here in Mitakihara and Kazamino. _Especially_ those in Kazamino..."

There was no doubt about it anymore. The twins had been working for a total psycho, and there was no escape for them.

"If you have plans for mutiny, that just means that you've lost your value to me. And if you've lost your value, there's no point in keeping you alive, what more after I've told you about my secrets." Like a coiled spring, the Demon jumped at the twins and grabbed them both by the neck, one in each hand. They gasped and struggled, but Homura's grip was vice-like. She smiled widely, her eyes blank hollows.

"So... are you going to desert me, or continue working for me?" Her voice was low, threatening.

"W-We'll work for you!" wheezed Estella.

"J-Just don't kill us!" panted Luna.

Homura grinned like a skull, throwing them both to the ground. "Good. Now, go along home and entertain your two guests. Make sure they don't suspect a single thing. And if anything interesting comes up, make sure to tell me. If I find out that you've been withholding any information from me..." She did not need to finish the sentence.

"Yes, Akemi-san..." they said morosely, in unison.

"Oh, and one more thing." Homura rounded on them and hauled them to their feet roughly. "Go to Kazamino later today and track down Akira Oda's whereabouts. She should be in a hospital somewhere. Once you've found her, I want you both to _kill_ her. Your first assassination job."

" _Huh?_ " Estella reeled back in shock, as did her twin. " _What?_ Kill Oda-senpai? B-But...! We _can't_!"

"Oh yes, you can," said Homura firmly. "Akira Oda is severely hurt now, and she can barely fight. The wounds my undead gave her are not normal. They're cursed. They'll absorb her magical energies, rendering her unable to use her ice magic. I don't care how you do it, but just make sure she's dead before those wounds can heal. Think of it as a test of loyalty from you to me."

"But-!"

"No 'buts', Queen. It's all part of your espionage work."

"But espionage doesn't involve murdering!"

"In my world,it _does_."

The twins were speechless. They opened their mouths to say something, but shut them again. Homura smirked at their actions.

"Oh, killing someone isn't _that_ bad, you'll soon realise," she said, making a mock attempt to comfort them. "It just gives you a visceral sense of disgust, but that will blow over quickly..."

"You're crazy..." breathed Luna, grabbing Estella's hand for support. "You're crazy and you're a lunatic."

Homura chuckled, shaking her head as if in disbelief. "Maybe you should have confirmed that fact before signing a contract with me. But it's too late now for regrets..."

Her purple eyes shone with an insane lustre. "... _Isn't it_?"

Afternoon sun beat down mercilessly on pedestrians' heads. Birds were too hot and bothered to sing their songs. Even the plants were drooping in the intense summer heat.

Ignoring the sweltering temperature, Tera held onto Kureha's small hand tightly, as if someone might swoop along and take her away. Shika was standing next to them with Yuki at her heels, staring apprehensively at the windows. They were standing outside Rikka's house, and Tera's finger was at the doorbell, hesitating.

Would Eruna be in? What would her reaction be when she saw them there?

"Ring the bell, senpai," came Kureha's bird-like voice. "We can't just stand here all day." She had already heard the news of Rikka's death, and wanted to come along to try and console Eruna.

"Uh huh. You got a point," said Tera unenthusiastically. _You weren't the one that killed her sister, so you don't know the fear I'm in now_ , she thought to herself.

Kureha reached out and jabbed the doorbell without waiting for Tera.

"Hey! Whaddaya think you're _doin_ '? I wasn't frickin' ready!" exclaimed Tera, pushing the heels of her hands onto her temples in frustration.

The blonde haired girl stuck her tongue out. "Bleh, you were too slow so-"

The door was flung open with a loud bang. Everyone jumped violently. At the doorway was Eruna, her face contorted into a hideous snarl. Her eyes were red and bloodshot and her hair resembled a lion's mane more than ever.

" _You dare show your face here after you've murdered my sister?!_ " she shrieked, spittle flying onto Tera's face. At once, she grabbed the front of Tera's shirt. Her fist connected with the tiger's face as she landed her a massive punch. Before she could wreak any more havoc, Shika was upon Eruna like a lunging snake, seizing the crazed girl's arms.

"Calm down and listen to what Tera-san has to say, Sayuki-san!" shouted Shika in the sternest voice she could muster.

" _Listen_ to her? Hah! She's a murderer, and murderers don't _deserve_ to have their acts justified!" she hissed, baring her teeth fiercely at Tera. "She's gonna die, I'll see to that. Mark my words, I'll kill her even if it sends me to Hell!"

With a lithe twist, she escaped from Shika's grasp and almost pounced on Tera again, had not Yuki stepped up and growled menacingly at her.

"H-Hey, Eruna, chill, I'm not here to pick a fight with ya," pleaded Tera, raising her hands in a placating manner. "I just wanna explain what happened to Rikka-"

"You can bloody well take those _damn_ explanations elsewhere, cause I'm not listening to a bloody thing you say!"

"But it's important!" blustered Tera, gesticulating wildly with her arms. "Look, d'you think I _wanted_ to kill Rikka? Damn, she's my best friend ever, why would I _do_ that? She had problems-"

"She had _problems_? Ha ha! The irony! Oh yes, she had problems, all right. With _you_!" growled Eruna, pointing an accusatory finger at Tera. "You were the cause of her turning into a Puella Magi. You were the one who made her depressed! And now, because of you, she's dead! You're the worst person I've ever met, I don't even know why I'm friends with you!"

"Eruna-"

" _Don't talk to me!_ " she shouted, her pupils contracted into small slits from anger. "Get lost! The next time I see you again, you're _dead_! _Dead_ , you hear that?!" With a furious bellow, she turned and ran down the street, disappearing around a corner.

The three girls were stunned into silence. Even Yuki dare not bark.

"That turned out well..." mumbled Tera glumly, leaning dejectedly against the open door.

"What happened to Eruna-chan?" questioned Kureha in a frightened tone. Her electric yellow eyes were wide with terror.

"She's distressed now," said Shika in a serious tone, squatting down to meet Kureha's gaze. She had already expected an outburst. "Her sister died at Tera-san's hands. It's no wonder that she's angry with her. We should give Eruna-san a few days to cool down and try again, alright?"

Kureha looked like she was about to cry, but she nodded bravely. "I'll wait for that. Eruna-chan is my best friend ever, and I want to help her. I don't like to see her like that..."

"...Nobody likes to see anger," said Shika softly. Her mellow green eyes seemed to calm Kureha down, and the little girl nodded stiffly.

"I'll give Eruna-chan all the time she needs to herself, then I'll take care of her and make her happy again," she said determinedly.

"That's the spirit," murmured Tera, smiling despite her shock. "She'll be okay soon. We just have to give her time."

The sky was rapidly darkening as it approached night time. Kyoko was back in her hometown, Kazamino City, and was walking along a lit street full of people and vendors. She had headed towards the nearest fruit stand and bought a dozen apples, and was now chomping down on them savagely. _Stupid Oriko Mikuni and her stupid plans_ , she grumbled in her head. _Stupid plans that killed Yuma and Sayaka... Curse her..._

She was on her fifth apple when she noticed a familiar face storming through the crowds. Eruna Sayuki looked absolutely livid, with her lion's mane trailing behind her head and reddened eyes.

Whatever had happened to her, Kyoko was not interested in finding out. She had enough of anything to do with the Puella Magi of Mitakihara and Kazamino, and was not about to involve herself again.

Turning back to her apple, she was about to bite into it when she saw, out of the corner of her eye, a black-clad figure with raven wings. She froze up for a second, then quickly dodged behind a row of stalls, stuffing her apple back into the bag. Cautiously, she peered out and cast a wary eye around the area.

She was certain that she saw Homura Akemi. There was no mistaking the Demon. The question was, did Homura see _her_? With her heart beating fast, she looked around again, only to notice Eruna being pulled into a dark alleyway by a gloved hand...

Curious now, Kyoko edged out from her hiding place, clasping the bag of apples close to her body. What did Homura want with Eruna? She wasn't a Puella Magi, after all.

Stealthily, she slunk into the alley, looking left and right for signs of the two girls. It was like a maze here, with twisting paths and crossroads and forks. They could be anywhere.

Deeper into the maze she went, treading as lightly as she could. If Homura caught her out alone, she would surely be killed. But she wanted to find out what Homura was doing with Eruna. Her gut feeling told her that it was something important. Something crucial.

Then she cursed herself for being so curious. Didn't she just swear that she wanted nothing to do with the Puella Magi anymore? As she was about to turn around, her ears caught voices drifting through the stale alley air.

"...revenge on Tera Aido... killed your sister..."

"Of course... she must die... wretched human being..."

"... grant you the power of Puella Magi... kill Tera Aido... work for me..."

Kyoko strained her ears, furrowing her brow as she tried to catch the missing words.

"...if you have no hesitation, then..."

"...I'll do it..."

What was Eruna doing? What was she agreeing to? _What on earth was happening_?

Before she could speculate further about the proceedings between the Demon and the girl, a pulse of dark matter blasted out from between two walls, sweeping Kyoko off her feet. Her bag of apples flew from her hands, landing with dull thuds on the floor.

"Shit!" she hissed, hoping that no one saw them. Swiftly, she rolled up into a kneeling position, kicked the apples away and scuttled behind the wall where the pulse was coming from. What she saw jarred her to the bone.

Dark ribbons of energy were swirling around Eruna's body. She was hovering a few feet above the ground, her body bent backwards at an awkward angle. Her eyes were wide open, and they were glowing blood red. Tendrils of smoke were coming out from her limbs, like as if she were being burnt. Homura was watching it all with her cold, violet eyes... and a horrible grin.

Abruptly, the dark ribbons lashed out like whips, then burrowed themselves into Eruna's body. Although the girl looked like she was screaming, there was no sound at all to be heard. Kyoko found that she was digging her nails into her thighs, such was her anxiety just by watching the scene.

Suddenly, it was over. Eruna slumped to the ground, breathing heavily. The Demon bent over and said something to her, but Kyoko couldn't hear what they were. She needed to get closer. Either that or she lured them to her.

She took an apple and hurled it at Homura feet.

"What the-" Homura started. Then her face rose in understanding. "Sakura Kyoko... She's here."

On second thought, maybe that wasn't such a good idea after all.

Kyoko jumped up and made a dash for it, but Homura was quicker. The Demon appeared like a spectre before her, tripping her up. The red-head fell heavily onto her face. Turning around at once, she tried to summon her spear, but Homura was already standing above her, her purple arrow pointed at her throat.

"Why were you spying on us?" Homura asked coolly, tightening her bowstring.

"What did you do to Eruna Sayuki?" demanded Kyoko, despite her rising panic. "I saw everything! I heard you talking to her as well. What did you tell her?"

Homura shrugged, like she didn't care. "I was just granting her wish to have revenge on Tera Aido, who had killed her sister, Rikka Sayuki."

The Demon couldn't help grinning. "As you know, only a Puella Magi can kill another Puella Magi... So, I turned her into one."

"What?" Kyoko was shocked. "But... I thought only Incubators could do that."

"Apparently, I just needed to channel some of my power into her in order to make her a Puella Magi," answered Homura off-handedly. "It's not the messy, ripping-your-soul-out thing that Kyubey always does."

"But _why?_ "

"You ask too many questions," tutted Homura, drawing her bowstring even further back. "It's time for you to die."

Without warning, Kyoko's spear appeared like a scorpion wraith, hitting Homura's bow and skewing it upwards. There was a surprised shout. The arrow shot off into the sky harmlessly. The Puella Magi jack-knifed to her feet and leapt up the walls of the alley, landing neatly on the roofs. Quickly, she made her escape, not even glancing behind to see if Homura was chasing her.

After jumping off the buildings, she ran into another alleyway, panting hard. Homura had not followed her after all. Sucking in a deep breath, she looked about her to make sure she was alone, then she whipped out her phone, dialling Mami's number.

"Yo, there's bad news," she said immediately when the line went through.

" _Sakura-san_?" came Mami's surprised voice. "Where are you-? What-? Bad news? How-"

"Stop sputtering and hear what I have to say," Kyoko spat harshly. "I just ran into Homura Akemi, and she was doing some weird black magic with Eruna Sayuki. She claims that she turned Sayuki into a Puella Magi so that she can help her murder Tera Aido. I don't know how true all this is but it could mean trouble for us cause after she kills Aido she's probably gonna come after us too-"

"Sakura-san, slow down!" said Mami sternly. "First of all, where are you? Are you safe? Are you away from Akemi-san?"

"Yes, I am, and I'm in Kazamino, my hometown," gushed Kyoko. "She didn't chase after me so I was lucky, but I almost got killed by her arrow point blank-"

"Good, now tell me, what did you see?" interrupted Mami before Kyoko could go off a tangent.

As Kyoko recounted her experience of watching Eruna being engulfed by dark ribbons of energy, Mami's brow furrowed. It certainly sounded...eerie. She gave an inwards sigh, wondering why the Demon turned out the way she was. Homura was once such a shy, sweet girl... She couldn't fathom why she suddenly snapped and was out for their blood.

"So yeah. Now that Eruna's a Puella Magi under the Demon's command, she could literally kill any of us if she wanted to," finished Kyoko. She ran a hand through her long ponytail exasperatedly. "I won't stand by and let that happen. I'm gonna protect you, Mami. I won't let anyone else die..."

"Sakura-san..." Mami knew how affected Kyoko was by the deaths of Sayaka and Yuma, and perhaps even Nagisa (although she wasn't as close to her as the other two). For Kyoko to announce her willingness to protect someone other than herself was something almost unheard of.

The red-head gave a bitter laugh, as if reading Mami's thoughts from over the phone. "Yeah, I know you're surprised I ain't being an asshole and keeping this information to myself... But, I really hate it when people kill others just for the heck of it. Where's the justice and happy ending in that? I don't see any. That Demon can't go around murdering us without justifying her own actions. It's like me letting a perfectly good apple rot away for no damn reason."

"I know what you mean," replied Mami seriously. "If only we knew what was going on in Akemi-san's head, we might be able to help her instead of having her become our enemy. It's very distasteful indeed. I dislike this as much as you do. But what choice do we have now?"

"It's a dog eat dog world out there, and it's becoming truer by the minute," said Kyoko, wiggling her toes and looking down at them. "We're at the bottom of the food chain now. Homura Akemi can literally kill us as easily as killing Familiars. And now she has a new henchman, Eruna Sayuki... I can't say I'm thrilled to meet her."

"Sayuki-san has always looked pretty...intense," said Mami carefully, remembering the saturnine face and piercing sky-blue eyes. The way she observed everything going on around her was too meticulous. Too calculative and untrusting. At least, that was how Mami interpreted Eruna to be. "Back to the problem though..."

"Yeah, what do you suggest we do?" said Kyoko at once, surreptitiously glancing above her to see if Homura was, by any chance, perching there and readying an arrow aimed at her head. She was getting rather paranoid.

"I think the first thing you should do is to get as far away from the area you're in now as possible. Akemi-san could change her mind easily and come back for you after all. The second thing to do is to alert the Kazamino Puella Magi about Sayuki-san."

"Alright, I'm getting out of here then. Should I... come along to your apartment?" Kyoko faltered, knowing that her behaviour after the warehouse raid was somewhat unpleasant, and that Mami probably didn't want to see her ever again.

"Of course you can come over!" exclaimed Mami, almost in joy. "You have no idea how worried I was for you. I'd be happy to have you with me!"

"Oh. Okay." Kyoko breathed a sigh of relief. Mami was still as nice as ever, it seemed. "I'll catch the next bus over to Mitakihara then. See ya." She was about to end the call when Mami's voice quickly interjected.

"Wait! Before you do that, go find Kiyomizu-san and tell her about Sayuki-san. She should be able to contact Aido-san and tell her what happened. Also, she may know some details that we don't. It would be helpful to understand why Sayuki-san suddenly formed a contract with the Demon. It must be for a significant reason."

Kyoko sighed. She didn't really care what had happened to Eruna or the rest of the Kazaminoans, but since it was a request from Mami, she couldn't bring herself to reject it. "Alright, I'll go to her house and tell her about it."

"Thank you, Sakura-san. You're a very nice person, do you know that?" beamed Mami.

"Huh... If you say so," coughed Kyoko, blushing.

As the call ended, Kyoko pocketed her phone in her jacket. Once more, she cast her red eyes around the area to check if Homura was about, then, satisfied that she was not tailed, she hurried off for Shika's house.

The winds were strong that night. Eruna held a hand to her face to stop her bangs from going into her eyes. From where she was standing - a radio tower - she had a plain view of the cityscape below her. With her were the twins, Estella and Luna, who both looked extremely restless.

"Hey, Sayuki-san, are you really serious about killing Tera Aido?" ventured Estella carefully, shooting a glance at the sullen Eruna.

"Don't you think all this killing is unnecessary? I mean, we're all fellow Magi, we should be working together…" Luna's words trailed off when she saw Eruna staring at her disbelievingly.

"If you're all for the team spirit and working together, then why are you acting as spies for Homura Akemi? Don't you realise that you're indirectly killing your own teammates by giving Homura what was supposed to be confidential intel?" said the wild-haired girl sharply. "Whose side exactly are you on?"

The twins were stifled. The truth was, they were still very much on the side of the Puella Magi, and were only still working for Homura out of fear. However, their actions for the past few days have been a betrayal to the trust everyone put in them. They have been constantly lying to everyone while giving away vital information to the enemy.

"You can't go on deceiving yourselves," said Eruna flatly. "Pick a side, and stick with it. I've chosen mine. I'm going with Homura."

"But you do realise that you can't turn back once you've joined her?" pressed Luna.

"I've already joined her by contracting, in case you haven't noticed," said Eruna slowly, as if talking to a two-year old. "There's no more turning back."

"But you've been at our meetings! You've heard how she's killing everyone. Why did you offer her your help if you knew she was a maniac?" exclaimed Estella, gesturing widely with her arms. "I mean, c'mon, Sayuki-san, why are you doing this?"

Eruna glared at Estella with a withering stare, causing the Australian to shrink back slightly. "If your sister was murdered callously by another Puella Magi, wouldn't you want _revenge_? Wouldn't you want to personally _kill_ her killer?"

"Uh… actually, if one of us died, the other would too because of our bond so there's no need for vengea-"

"That's not the point!" snarled Eruna, flashing her teeth menacingly. She sucked in air through her clenched teeth, pressing both her hands into the back of her head. She started pacing manically. "My parents were killed by a Witch because Tera didn't help my sister, Rikka, fight it. Then, Rikka fell into depression because of that, and blamed herself for it. She got turned into a bloody Witch and was _killed_ by Tera! It's all because of _Tera-bloody-Aido_ that this _bloody_ thing happened! If my sister wasn't involved with that stupid tiger, she'd still be alive now!"

She glowered at the twins, standing up to them like a lion poised above its prey. "You _see_ why I have to do this? That damn tiger killed my _whole family_ and I'm not about to let her go on living like the weasel she is… _She has to die._ And by agreeing to work for Homura, I'm given the chance to avenge my family. She granted me the power of a Puella Magi. I am in her debt. Don't you bloody dare stop me, _got that_?"

Luna gulped at the savage intensity displayed by Eruna. "O-Okay, we won't stop you, but _please_ , don't kill anyone else!"

Eruna gave a humourless laugh. "Don't kill anyone else? Hah! All those scum can go to Hell for all I care. Puella Magi are bloody blights to the world."

"Blights?" said Estella, affronted. "We're not blights! We fight Witches to protect humans from them. We're warriors of peace!"

"Warriors my _ass_. Don't you realise that Puella Magi _are_ Witches? Without the lot of you, there wouldn't be _anything_ to threaten humans," scoffed Eruna, throwing a disdainful glance at the two girls.

"W-Well, you're a Puella Magi too!" exploded Luna harshly, her fists balling up at her sides. "That makes you a blight as well!"

"I'm not exactly a Puella Magi," retorted Eruna with deadly calm. "I don't have a Soul Gem, unlike the rest of you. That means I can't turn into a Witch."

This news stunned the twins. No Soul Gem? How was that possible?

"Turn into a Puella Magi now! Prove to us that you're not lying!" said Estella hotly.

"I don't have a Puella Magi garb, unlike you lot," said Eruna in a disgusted tone.

"Then you're lying! You're not a Puella Magi. You're not contracted with Homura Akemi after all. You're making this up because you're angry with Aido-san and want revenge!" accused Luna, taking a bold step towards Eruna. "You can stop this. You don't need to kill anyone. We can help you forgive Aido-san and move on-"

A wicked sickle appeared under Luna's chin most suddenly, the ice-cold metal touching her flesh. The clink of chains was unmistakeable as Eruna pushed the weapon up, forcing Luna's head back. Estella jumped at Eruna with her double bladed sword, but the lion girl's eyes were staring at her like burning coals, dancing with insanity.

"You believe I'm a Puella Magi now?" hissed Eruna bitterly, shaking the chains attached to her sickle. "Do you want me to cut your sister up to prove it?"

Luna shook her head with the tiniest of movements, gulping, as Estella dropped her weapon in defeat.

"Alright, we believe you," said Estella testily. "No need for violence here. But you're doing a very grave mistake. Revenge was never the wisest choice at the end of the day. You'll regret it."

"Don't tell me what to do, Queen," sneered Eruna, lowering her weapon. Luna immediately backed away and rubbed at her throat gingerly. "It's my life, I do what I want with it."

"You're still going to regret it one day," repeated Estella gravely. "As we're regretting it now…"

Eruna gave them a disinterested frown. "Not my problem. Now excuse me, I've got a bloody tiger to hunt." She stepped off the ledge of the radio tower and plunged into the darkness below, then landed neatly on the floor and took off at a sprint. Within five seconds, she was gone.

Estella sighed and closed her eyes. "Looks like we're dealing with another psycho, sis…"

"Yeah. But… let's just ignore her for now, as long as she doesn't try to kill us next." Luna paused nervously. "We still have to find out where Oda-senpai is. Akemi-san won't let us off the hook if we don't."

"No, she won't... We'll find where she is, and then we…"

"We'll…"

"…Kill her?"

" _No, no_ , that's too much!" burst out Luna, waving her hands frantically. "We'll _cripple_ her. Yeah, cripple her like we did to Kure-san and render her unable to fight, then the next time Akemi-san attacks them, she won't be able to defend herself. And, she… dies. There. Done. We're _not_ killing anyone."

Estella nodded her agreement fervently. "Okay, we'll go with your plan. Let's go now before Akemi-san thinks we're slacking off."

The two Puella Magi looked at each other guiltily. What they were doing wasn't right, but they were already too deep under the mud to be pulled out anymore. Either they obeyed Homura, or they die.

And they didn't want to die.

Shika's mind clicked furiously. Kyoko had dropped by suddenly and said that Homura had turned Eruna into a Puella Magi. Was that even possible? Wasn't it only Kyubey who could do that? But Kyoko didn't sound like she was lying about it. If Eruna had indeed turned into a Puella Magi, there was no doubt that Tera's life was in grave danger.

The tiger was currently with Kureha at Rikka's aunt's place, trying to explain to the grouchy woman that their niece had just passed away. Shika had not followed, in case Akira called and she had to go over to the hospital to visit (so far, she hasn't received a call just yet - Akira could be having endless medical checks by all the doctors). Besides, she wasn't exactly close enough with Rikka, so she shouldn't be dabbling about in their family issues.

Shika debated whether she should call Tera now and tell her about Eruna, or wait for her to come back tomorrow. But would that be too late? Would Eruna know that Tera was at her aunt's house and head there to kill her? But what if Kyoko had been hallucinating and saw the wrong thing? What if Eruna was wrongly accused?

Her cell phone suddenly bleeped. It was a message from Akira. Temporarily forgetting all else, Shika opened it at once and read it quickly.

 _Hi, darling, I hope everything's fine. I finally get the chance to text you, those doctors are really persistent with their check-ups.  
The chest wound is closing up, but very slowly. My blood levels have returned to normal, though they need to keep up with the blood transfusion cause the wound is constantly leaking. The doctors are confounded over the gash, but I'm not about to tell them a Demon caused it. They're keeping me in for observation for some time yet, and they won't allow visitors, not even my parents (thank goodness).They think it's some infectious virus. I'll keep you updated. Stay safe. Love you xoxo_

Relief flooded over Shika. Thank goodness Akira was better already. Without hesitation, she typed in a reply, eager to ask for Akira's opinion on the matter of Eruna. _Glad to hear that. Pls stay safe too. Btw, Kyoko Sakura just dropped by to say that Eruna has been turned into a Puella Magi by Homura Akemi. Do u think that's possible? It could mean danger for Tera?_

She waited anxiously for a reply. After a minute, a text flashed on the screen.

 _Seeing as it's the Demon herself who did it, I believe that Eruna indeed has been turned into a Puella Magi. Akemi is full of surprises so I'm not shocked. You have to be on your guard. Tell Tera about it. Better to be safe than sorry. I wish I was with you both. Please don't get into trouble_

Shika sighed. If Akira thought that Eruna did become a Puella Magi, she should not doubt it. Akira was usually right.

 _OK, thanks, Akira. I'll take care of Tera, don't worry. Get well soon_

As the text went off, Shika pulled on her coat and whistled for Yuki. She would have to go over to Madam Sayuki's house and tell Tera about it, personally. Phone calls would not work for such important messages.

And if she happened to bump into Eruna on the way, and Eruna really happened to be a Puella Magi and was working for Homura...

Well, she would see to it that Rikka's sister was taken care of, one way or another...


End file.
